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No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Just a few days after patting itself on the back for enlisting a R&B singer with a MySpace page and lots of Twitter followers, CPS's new email policy (PDF) requiring teachers to use official email for all communications with students has come to light.
Blog readers brought this issue to light in reader commentsover the weekend. No communiating with students or their families via personal email. No cell phones. No Twitter. No Facebook.
Read below for one teacher's dismayed reaction, and weigh in with your thoughts.
One teacher comments:
The biggest frustration is that on the technology front the CPS Network is totally inadequate. The message to me is strong and clear - innovative, tech savvy teachers should look elsewhere for employment.
Also irritating is the proprietary nature of it all. With so many tools out there to introduce technology into the curriculum, the CPS system either can't or won't allow it. Even if the CPS system supported it, to my knowledge there has been literally zero training available - for students or staff - for any of these Collaboration Systems they reference.
Also, I give my cell phone number out to all of my students so they can call or text if the need me. This AUP bars contact with students via cell phones. Obviously, cell phones are not on the CPS Network systems.
I had also intended to use Twitter for a significant portion of my class lessons since it is an easy and free way for me to send bulk text messages. Needless to say that won't be happening.
A few highlights:
Article III. DUTIES
Section C
User Duties. All Users have a duty to protect the security, integrity and confidentiality of the CPS Network and Computer Resources including the obligation to protect and report any unauthorized access or use, abuse, misuse, injury, degradation, theft or destruction. Users shall comply with all ITS Guidelines when using the CPS Network or Computer Resources. All employees communicating with students via electronic means must do so using CPS Network systems.
Section C
User Duties. All Users have a duty to protect the security, integrity and confidentiality of the CPS Network and Computer Resources including the obligation to protect and report any unauthorized access or use, abuse, misuse, injury, degradation, theft or destruction. Users shall comply with all ITS Guidelines when using the CPS Network or Computer Resources. All employees communicating with students via electronic means must do so using CPS Network systems.
I guess this means that the interactive website I've spent this summer designing for my students with open-source WordPress is off limits. I can't share video we create on our own. I can't ask them to compare and contrast two of our own videos, or one of our videos with someone else's, or two videos from elsewhere. I can't solicit student responses on core content. I can't post accessible calendar information. I can't post a contact form for students who forget or lose my e-mail address but know the website we'll use on a weekly basis. I can't host interactive Flash tools that my students use on a regular basis.
The CPS network is simply incapable of handling my digital needs or the needs of my students. I get 100MB of storage on the CPS network. Seriously. 100MB. In this digital age. 500MB on the FirstClass e-mail system. That's eaten up in no time with digital media, especially if I'm encouraging students to use digital media as part of their learning. Not to mention the fact it takes a month to delete old files. (There is no way to empty the trash can on FirstClass. You have to put the file in the trash and then wait. 4 weeks. And I can't store my data on FirstClass for longer than 12 months. So I'm required to backup to my own hard drive. But apparently, CPS owns everything on my drive, too.
Article IV. OWNERSHIP AND PRIVACY
Section A
Board Property. All documents, data and information stored, transmitted and processed on CPS Network or Computer Resources are the property of, and subject to, the Board’s policies, rules, standards and guidelines on usage. Users shall ensure that all access and use of such documents, data and information complies with applicable laws and Board rules and policies including those related to the Confidentiality of Student Records and E-mail Retention. When a User is no longer employed or under contract with the Board, all information stored by that User on CPS Network and Computer Resources remains the property of the Board.
Section A
Board Property. All documents, data and information stored, transmitted and processed on CPS Network or Computer Resources are the property of, and subject to, the Board’s policies, rules, standards and guidelines on usage. Users shall ensure that all access and use of such documents, data and information complies with applicable laws and Board rules and policies including those related to the Confidentiality of Student Records and E-mail Retention. When a User is no longer employed or under contract with the Board, all information stored by that User on CPS Network and Computer Resources remains the property of the Board.
I've authored an interactive Flash tool that I'd like to use for my students. It requires communication between me and them. If I am forced to host it on the CPS Network in order to use it I simply will not use it. I have no interest in giving CPS ownership of a product of hundreds of hours of my own computer work. Also, when CPS lays off an employee, that employee immediately loses access to e-mail and the CPS Network. Why exactly would any CPS employee store ANYTHING on the CPS Network knowing it is no longer their own property and they may lose access to it at any moment? How might an employee actually exercise any ownership of proprietary information whatsoever?
Unacceptable use # 11 is use that "degrades the performance of the CPS Network or Computer Resources or causes a security risk."
I violate this one every day. I download or upload large files. That degrades the performance of the Network. I stream audio or video. That degrades the performance of the Network. I access Impact and/or GradeBook at the same time as thousands of other employees. That degrades the performance of the Network.
Article VI. E-MAIL
A. Usage. Users are not allowed to use third party e-mail systems (such as Yahoo or AOL) in their capacity as representatives of Chicago Public Schools. All e-mail sent by Users in their capacity as representatives of the Chicago Public Schools must be sent from Board authorized e-mail systems, with Board authorized return addresses. User e-mails are subject to retention by ITS in accordance with the Board’s E-mail Retention Policy.
A. Usage. Users are not allowed to use third party e-mail systems (such as Yahoo or AOL) in their capacity as representatives of Chicago Public Schools. All e-mail sent by Users in their capacity as representatives of the Chicago Public Schools must be sent from Board authorized e-mail systems, with Board authorized return addresses. User e-mails are subject to retention by ITS in accordance with the Board’s E-mail Retention Policy.
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Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 8:29 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
First off, some of the provisions of this are so broad as to be unenforceable. You could read this to mean that no teacher is allowed to have a web site or blog on a non-CPS system. Really? You're going to force every teacher with a web site or blog to migrate all of that onto CPS network systems? What are we going to use? FirstClass?
Now that I think about it though, I'm not using my web site to communicate with anyone. All my web site is used for is a place for me to organize homework assignments, leave reminders for myself, and store links to web sites I find useful. If anyone else finds that usefule then...
A closer read shows that there is only one aspect of this we need to be concerned with as teachers. That's the e-mail section. They wany us to only use CPS e-mail when communicating with students and parents. Fine. No problem. The rest? As long as you're not storing or transmitting sensitive information or student personal information, I doubt they'd even notice that I have my own web site, blog, and Twitter account.
Now that I think about it though, I'm not using my web site to communicate with anyone. All my web site is used for is a place for me to organize homework assignments, leave reminders for myself, and store links to web sites I find useful. If anyone else finds that usefule then...
A closer read shows that there is only one aspect of this we need to be concerned with as teachers. That's the e-mail section. They wany us to only use CPS e-mail when communicating with students and parents. Fine. No problem. The rest? As long as you're not storing or transmitting sensitive information or student personal information, I doubt they'd even notice that I have my own web site, blog, and Twitter account.
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 9:09 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
The new rule prohibit teachers from using the system to "disclose Board trade secrets, or confidential or proprietary information, including student record information, without authorization or without proper security measures." I sure this will please George since this is what he was fired for, i.e. disclosing trade secrets related to the failed CASE exams.
It seems clear that we all must now reveal our trade secrets on our own private ISPs.
It seems clear that we all must now reveal our trade secrets on our own private ISPs.
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 10:00 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Perhaps it is an overly broad, general policy. But who would like to be the first to get suspended or fired under it and then have to fight it? (Without the help of the CTU, I'm sure.)
Having your own website, blog, Twitter account, etc. are all fine - provided there is no student contact via any of those mediums. You just can't allow students to access your website, your blog, or your other digital or electronic resources. I happen to use mine for far more than my own personal organization. My students access these resources on a weekly if not daily basis during the school year.
One of the mantras I hear from charter schools is "Our teachers all give out their cell phone numbers to students and are available to them into evening." Now CPS has barred its own teachers from communicating with students via cell phone. Another obstacle put in place between teachers and students by CPS. Charters will be beating neighborhood schools over the head with this one even more now that it's official policy.
All employees communicating with students via electronic means must do so using CPS Network systems.
This is a stunning requirement and includes disallowing text messages to or from students. On a field trip this spring we used text messages to locate and assist a lost student. No more of that!
CPS is such a joke.
I don't imagine there is a form for parents to fill out that would allow us to contact them via cell phone or text message. I've never seen one.
Unacceptable use "promotes or participates in any way in internal political or election activities related to a union or
other organization representing employees."
Union communications appear to be off the table, at least those related to elections (this spring) or politics (any caucus info). So, teachers and delegates may physically deliver paper notices into mailboxes at schools all they want, per the Agreement, but can not do so digitally. Makes sense. Heh.
I understand the Board has reasons to protect itself from various liabilities, but this policy is really an embarrassment.
Having your own website, blog, Twitter account, etc. are all fine - provided there is no student contact via any of those mediums. You just can't allow students to access your website, your blog, or your other digital or electronic resources. I happen to use mine for far more than my own personal organization. My students access these resources on a weekly if not daily basis during the school year.
One of the mantras I hear from charter schools is "Our teachers all give out their cell phone numbers to students and are available to them into evening." Now CPS has barred its own teachers from communicating with students via cell phone. Another obstacle put in place between teachers and students by CPS. Charters will be beating neighborhood schools over the head with this one even more now that it's official policy.
All employees communicating with students via electronic means must do so using CPS Network systems.
This is a stunning requirement and includes disallowing text messages to or from students. On a field trip this spring we used text messages to locate and assist a lost student. No more of that!
CPS is such a joke.
I don't imagine there is a form for parents to fill out that would allow us to contact them via cell phone or text message. I've never seen one.
Unacceptable use "promotes or participates in any way in internal political or election activities related to a union or
other organization representing employees."
Union communications appear to be off the table, at least those related to elections (this spring) or politics (any caucus info). So, teachers and delegates may physically deliver paper notices into mailboxes at schools all they want, per the Agreement, but can not do so digitally. Makes sense. Heh.
I understand the Board has reasons to protect itself from various liabilities, but this policy is really an embarrassment.
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 10:01 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
I have many points to address:
1) Our Principal set up a gmail account for us to send him our lesson plans. In addition, my friend works at a school where the principal requires every teacher to use yahoo messenger in order to communicate vs. sending messengers.
2) Since I arrived at the school 2 yrs ago we still have not had our network hooked up correctly. The classrooms do not have updated computers and first class is not compatible with all OS.
3) Vista is being sold on the average PC now. First class is not supported on Vista. Do we all need to go out and purchase computers that are supported? There have also been issues various Mac OS.
4) Parent involvement is CRUCIAL! I hand out my cell number, email etc. and make it clear that I am available at all times. I encourage parental involvement no matter what form it comes in.
5) CPS wants technology integrated into the curriculum, blames teachers for not doing the above and now wants to set limits on the ways to do so? Every CPS teacher, school, and principal knows how buggy the First Class network is. The majority of features do not work.
6) CPS claims to want teachers who "think outside of the box". Then why is CPS keeping teaching inside theirbox?
7) Technology is the future. CPS has and still is WAY behind. The majority of schools do not have updated computers. Is this another means to set the teachers up for failure? How does one prepare a child for the future without the necessary tools? Technology holds the necessary tools to succeed. How many people down at CPS use Twitter? Better yet, how many know what Twitter is? I haven't seen a CPS twitter account.
The bottom line, this is yet another BS policy added that will allow principals an easy way to get rid of teachers. Especially the older teachers who are not technology savvy. "I'm writing you up because you were in contact with this parent using a yahoo account. I don't care if you helped the family. I don't care if the parent is now involved. "
1) Our Principal set up a gmail account for us to send him our lesson plans. In addition, my friend works at a school where the principal requires every teacher to use yahoo messenger in order to communicate vs. sending messengers.
2) Since I arrived at the school 2 yrs ago we still have not had our network hooked up correctly. The classrooms do not have updated computers and first class is not compatible with all OS.
3) Vista is being sold on the average PC now. First class is not supported on Vista. Do we all need to go out and purchase computers that are supported? There have also been issues various Mac OS.
4) Parent involvement is CRUCIAL! I hand out my cell number, email etc. and make it clear that I am available at all times. I encourage parental involvement no matter what form it comes in.
5) CPS wants technology integrated into the curriculum, blames teachers for not doing the above and now wants to set limits on the ways to do so? Every CPS teacher, school, and principal knows how buggy the First Class network is. The majority of features do not work.
6) CPS claims to want teachers who "think outside of the box". Then why is CPS keeping teaching inside theirbox?
7) Technology is the future. CPS has and still is WAY behind. The majority of schools do not have updated computers. Is this another means to set the teachers up for failure? How does one prepare a child for the future without the necessary tools? Technology holds the necessary tools to succeed. How many people down at CPS use Twitter? Better yet, how many know what Twitter is? I haven't seen a CPS twitter account.
The bottom line, this is yet another BS policy added that will allow principals an easy way to get rid of teachers. Especially the older teachers who are not technology savvy. "I'm writing you up because you were in contact with this parent using a yahoo account. I don't care if you helped the family. I don't care if the parent is now involved. "
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 10:10 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
If First Class works so well, how come everybody at 125 still has the cps.k12,etc. address. Oh, except for RH. I don't think they wanted to tell him that CPS uses an email caste system.
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 10:18 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Restrictions on use of social media are the least important parts of this AUP.
Most important is that this policy actively inhibits teacher-student, teacher-teacher, and teacher-parent communication.
Maybe I've ignored the AUP previously or been unaware of its provisions, but having read this thread I will now shut down a very significant portion of my students' learning environment so I am not at risk of being in violation.
Most important is that this policy actively inhibits teacher-student, teacher-teacher, and teacher-parent communication.
Maybe I've ignored the AUP previously or been unaware of its provisions, but having read this thread I will now shut down a very significant portion of my students' learning environment so I am not at risk of being in violation.
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 11:55 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Whose bright idea was THIS!!!??? It's not like there are other more pressing and prevalent issues CPS should be focusing on....
And we're trying to keep the dropout rate down, trying to bring attendance up, trying to think and do outside of the box to engage and keep our students and parents informed?
And we're trying to encourage the use of twitter for CPS Back-to-School, but yet we are discouraging it at the same time??!!
I take it that the CPS Website has so little traffic, we "had to go there" just to make people view it, huh?
And we're trying to keep the dropout rate down, trying to bring attendance up, trying to think and do outside of the box to engage and keep our students and parents informed?
And we're trying to encourage the use of twitter for CPS Back-to-School, but yet we are discouraging it at the same time??!!
I take it that the CPS Website has so little traffic, we "had to go there" just to make people view it, huh?
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 1:03 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
I invite everyone to visit the Partnership for 21st Century Skills website: http://www.21stcenturyskills.org
Illinois recently became one of 13 states to adopt the P21 Framework, which is gaining momentum nationally. Chicago children need to be developing web 2.0 savvy as part of their education, and teachers ought to be guiding that process, since so many of our kids rely on schools for technology resources and instruction.
Kudos to the teachers who are leading the way. They deserve the support of their district for preparing kids to compete successfully in the global economy of the 21st century where Twitter, Facebook and other 2.0 technologies are a powerful currency for education and accessing resources.
Illinois recently became one of 13 states to adopt the P21 Framework, which is gaining momentum nationally. Chicago children need to be developing web 2.0 savvy as part of their education, and teachers ought to be guiding that process, since so many of our kids rely on schools for technology resources and instruction.
Kudos to the teachers who are leading the way. They deserve the support of their district for preparing kids to compete successfully in the global economy of the 21st century where Twitter, Facebook and other 2.0 technologies are a powerful currency for education and accessing resources.
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 2:26 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
What if a kid's family doesn't have a computer? Is the teacher barred from communicating with that family?
I guess the teacher can still use the telephone in the classroom to call parents, since that's presumably on a "CPS network." Of course, that assumes that there's a working telephone in the classroom.
I guess the teacher can still use the telephone in the classroom to call parents, since that's presumably on a "CPS network." Of course, that assumes that there's a working telephone in the classroom.
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 2:47 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
This is a serious question:
Am I allowed to call parents from a land line? What about my home phone land line.
Am I allowed to call parents from a land line? What about my home phone land line.
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 3:32 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Kate, I think that depends on whether or not your telephone is "electronic".
: )
If your phone is "electronic", you're out of luck. If it is not "electronic", you're good to go! Perhaps you have a rotary dialer? HA HA HA!!!
: )
If your phone is "electronic", you're out of luck. If it is not "electronic", you're good to go! Perhaps you have a rotary dialer? HA HA HA!!!
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 4:11 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
CPS can adopt whatever technology programs they want and hold silly press conferences but reality is a _itch!
Exactly what percentage of classrooms are equipped with a working phone?
What percentage of non-classroom teachers have a computer? (attendance is completed on the computer so all classroom teachers do have a computer-it is how we get funds!)
What is the percentage of teachers who have received CPS training on the new technology?
Was any effort made to familiarize veteran teachers with electronic media?
Where is the tech support? In the grammar schools it is woefully absent!
Who is going to complete the cumbersome e-IEP? Yes, we have had training but our school day is supposed to be spent teaching not spending six hours on repetitive nonsense! Look at the e-IEP-this was not developed by a special education teacher. I will bet the design team had no teaching experience.
Many of us are unable to accesss this e-IEP at home. Our own children are on our home computers or are being used by spouses/partners who run businesses on the sole home computer.
It is unfair to expect the special education teachers to take on any more paperwork-there is a shortage of special education teachers in CPS.
The suburban special education teachers are not doing this as the case managers (who do not also carry the role of counselor like in CPS-two for one salary) complete the IEP at the meeting and a copy is given to the parent when the meeting is over.
We are being told by OSS we have four days after the meeting to amend, edit (whatever) the IEP before we give it to the parents. This is illegal.
Also, CPS has the wrong minutes per week on the e-IEP so make sure you have 20% of their number not our 1500/1575 mpw number so your caseloads do not go to 30!
Why aren't the new J-CAR rules being followed this year? All the other school districts are following it. Did ISBE give CPS another invisible waiver?
Exactly what percentage of classrooms are equipped with a working phone?
What percentage of non-classroom teachers have a computer? (attendance is completed on the computer so all classroom teachers do have a computer-it is how we get funds!)
What is the percentage of teachers who have received CPS training on the new technology?
Was any effort made to familiarize veteran teachers with electronic media?
Where is the tech support? In the grammar schools it is woefully absent!
Who is going to complete the cumbersome e-IEP? Yes, we have had training but our school day is supposed to be spent teaching not spending six hours on repetitive nonsense! Look at the e-IEP-this was not developed by a special education teacher. I will bet the design team had no teaching experience.
Many of us are unable to accesss this e-IEP at home. Our own children are on our home computers or are being used by spouses/partners who run businesses on the sole home computer.
It is unfair to expect the special education teachers to take on any more paperwork-there is a shortage of special education teachers in CPS.
The suburban special education teachers are not doing this as the case managers (who do not also carry the role of counselor like in CPS-two for one salary) complete the IEP at the meeting and a copy is given to the parent when the meeting is over.
We are being told by OSS we have four days after the meeting to amend, edit (whatever) the IEP before we give it to the parents. This is illegal.
Also, CPS has the wrong minutes per week on the e-IEP so make sure you have 20% of their number not our 1500/1575 mpw number so your caseloads do not go to 30!
Why aren't the new J-CAR rules being followed this year? All the other school districts are following it. Did ISBE give CPS another invisible waiver?
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 4:17 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
</u> Geez, I used to joke with the kids that the AUP had five authorized uses, but thirteen unauthorized uses.
Now we've more than doubled that to THIRTY-TWO unauthorized uses.
And we are obligated to report each other for any unauthorized usage.
I'm afraid to use the damn thing anymore.
Now we've more than doubled that to THIRTY-TWO unauthorized uses.
And we are obligated to report each other for any unauthorized usage.
I'm afraid to use the damn thing anymore.
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 4:22 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
all classroom teachers do have a computer-it is how we get funds!
Actually, while that may be true in your school it's not true city-wide. At many schools, like mine, teachers have to compete for computer time with colleagues and students in a lab. This happens to fulfill the contract which requires merely access to a computer.
Still, many of your points are well taken. And please remember that veteran teachers are not the only ones who need to be familiarized with proprietary CPS software. New teachers may have an array of skills in any number of software programs, including web-publishing freeware, but the CPS software is a completely different story.
Actually, while that may be true in your school it's not true city-wide. At many schools, like mine, teachers have to compete for computer time with colleagues and students in a lab. This happens to fulfill the contract which requires merely access to a computer.
Still, many of your points are well taken. And please remember that veteran teachers are not the only ones who need to be familiarized with proprietary CPS software. New teachers may have an array of skills in any number of software programs, including web-publishing freeware, but the CPS software is a completely different story.
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 4:27 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Danny, I agree. I use technology extensively in my curricula. I'm just going to stop using it. In addition to the patent absurdity of the Board's policy, I'm just not willing to risk my job.
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 4:51 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
I was a little shocked by anniesullivan informing me that "We are being told by OSS we have four days after the meeting to amend, edit (whatever) the IEP before we give it to the parents." If you have a memo to this effect please send it to me at restvan@accessliving.com I will be happy to use it to file a complaint against CPS with the state.
Rod Estvan
Rod Estvan
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 5:23 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
So now teachers can't contact parents without using CPS networks? In my child's school, the classrooms do not all have working phones, and most don't have a PC at all. So how will the teachers accomplish this? Many of the teachers give their personal email address to parents to ENCOURAGE communication and involvement. So now, great. We all have to stop communicating so that CPS can feel better about itself. Sounds like yet another way for principals to target teachers, and yet another way to make the charter schools look better in comparison to our regular public schools. If I were a conspiracy nut, I might see a connection here.
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 5:27 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
OSS is very good at covering their butts. I doubt you will find an actual document that states this. I've asked for it to no avail. This message was verbally given at e-IEP trainings and when you call the help desk for assistance as a way to pacify stressed out special ed teachers that realize the impossibility of completing the eIEP within the time limits of an IEP meeting. There are many other violations that I found...limits on placement of students in certain settings (need OSS approval-thought the team was the decision making body, not someone downtown). Email me at cpsspedteacher at gmail.com for more info.
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 5:35 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
One teacher comments: "The message to me is strong and clear-innovative, tech savvy teachers should look elsewhere for employment." Dear teacher, you are so right! With the "ACCEPTABLE USE OF THE CPS NETWORK AND COMPUTERS RESOURCES", CPS wants and gets total control of all information in CPS! If you violate this policy, then you will be subject to ARTICLE X: "Employees who fail to abide by this policy are subject to discipline in accordance with the Boards Employee Discipline and Due Process Policy with Corrective action ranging from suspension or permanent revocation of CPS network access privileges to termination of employment. Violations of certain provisions in this policy may also subject a user to civil and criminal liability according to applicable federal and state laws. Any Board contractor consultant, volunteer or other business partner, who violates this policy may have their system access privileges suspended and may further be subject to contract termination or any other remedy or action deemed appropriate by the Board." P.S.- Don't you just love working for CPS?
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 6:00 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
helps keep the lawyers employed at CPS--no one ther layed off, nit a one let go. And they still hire vendors, consultants and outside lawyers.
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 6:02 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Apparently, CPS leadership is more concerned about monitoring communications between teachers, students, and parents than in encouraging such communication. Is this fear of lawsuit? Fear of inappropriate content? Or just fear of people thinking for themselves and not waiting to be told what to do?
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 6:03 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
you should NOT be calling students from you LAN line or personal cell phone. Call from the school from now on.
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 6:14 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Thank God for Ms.P
When I interviewed for my current position at Bogan years
ago it was a Computer Technical High School. I was a very computer ignorant
librarian having come from Simeon where we didn’t have many computers
because of the electric panels which smoked all day. I had plenty of
people help me get wired. But the principal of Bogan Ms.Perchalski helped
everyone when she threw out ALL the typewriters in the school ,save two.
It was sink or swim. We all stayed afloat. Today we have over 30 modern,
working computers in the library, and counting. The kids have always known
more about computers than me. I can hold my own but no matter what policy
the board develops it is meaningless without adult supervision.
With the internet now becoming the primary vehicle for delivering knowledge
This policy will set us back ten years if anyone follows it to the letter. Social
Networks have a lot of crap, but they also have a lot of good information in
many different languages. I know students get past every block the Board
Has placed in their way. I just hope we can override this policy when we have
a need.
When I interviewed for my current position at Bogan years
ago it was a Computer Technical High School. I was a very computer ignorant
librarian having come from Simeon where we didn’t have many computers
because of the electric panels which smoked all day. I had plenty of
people help me get wired. But the principal of Bogan Ms.Perchalski helped
everyone when she threw out ALL the typewriters in the school ,save two.
It was sink or swim. We all stayed afloat. Today we have over 30 modern,
working computers in the library, and counting. The kids have always known
more about computers than me. I can hold my own but no matter what policy
the board develops it is meaningless without adult supervision.
With the internet now becoming the primary vehicle for delivering knowledge
This policy will set us back ten years if anyone follows it to the letter. Social
Networks have a lot of crap, but they also have a lot of good information in
many different languages. I know students get past every block the Board
Has placed in their way. I just hope we can override this policy when we have
a need.
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 6:55 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
you should NOT be calling students from you LAN line or personal cell phone. Call from the school from now on.
School phone, another school's phone, a phone at 125 S Clark, a public phone, a friend's, a home phone, a cell phone, and on and on. Why does the location of the particular device matter?
School phone, another school's phone, a phone at 125 S Clark, a public phone, a friend's, a home phone, a cell phone, and on and on. Why does the location of the particular device matter?
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 11:07 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
"School phone, another school's phone, a phone at 125 S Clark, a public phone, a friend's, a home phone, a cell phone, and on and on. Why does the location of the particular device matter?"
Because they'd need judeges, a warrant, just cause to tap all those phones. If a condition of your employment is that you conduct all communication via their lines, they can monitor you.
This is essentially a joke, since as miserable and scarce as computers are in the high schools. With thier 100-plus faculties, the idea that all calls by high school teachers can be completed with the handful of school lines available to them is laughable.
Our teacher lounge has one phone. If you had a prep, you could run down to the attendance office and see if that line's free. When the case manager is in and her office is not locked, you could try her office. Unless there is an emotional IEP conference with four teachers, a student and his angry parents already crowded into that tiny space.
In closing -
Land line. Not LAN line.
Because they'd need judeges, a warrant, just cause to tap all those phones. If a condition of your employment is that you conduct all communication via their lines, they can monitor you.
This is essentially a joke, since as miserable and scarce as computers are in the high schools. With thier 100-plus faculties, the idea that all calls by high school teachers can be completed with the handful of school lines available to them is laughable.
Our teacher lounge has one phone. If you had a prep, you could run down to the attendance office and see if that line's free. When the case manager is in and her office is not locked, you could try her office. Unless there is an emotional IEP conference with four teachers, a student and his angry parents already crowded into that tiny space.
In closing -
Land line. Not LAN line.
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 11:08 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Re: The teacher discipline provisions
"Corrective action" can range from (mild) revocation of computer access privileges. Since there's no way a teacher can do their job without access to the system (attendance and grades must be done on computer), this is tantamount to termination of employment.
And so many things that are unacceptable uses are in the discretion of the principal or Central Office-level bureaucrat. Anything that causes CPS embarassment? Please.
"Corrective action" can range from (mild) revocation of computer access privileges. Since there's no way a teacher can do their job without access to the system (attendance and grades must be done on computer), this is tantamount to termination of employment.
And so many things that are unacceptable uses are in the discretion of the principal or Central Office-level bureaucrat. Anything that causes CPS embarassment? Please.
Mon Aug 10, 2009 at 11:35 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Just from first look, it seems like a ridiculous policy. But that's not even the point. If you care in the slightest about students, you have to know that you need to consult classroom teachers and students before just slapping together a policy that will utterly change classroom and learning dynamics based on some legal misgivings.
It's just bad policy that arose from bad procedure. I'm happy to assume that it's another secret that Mr. Huberman was unaware of, but at some point he needs to get his house in order because these massive oversights are damaging students' education.
It's just bad policy that arose from bad procedure. I'm happy to assume that it's another secret that Mr. Huberman was unaware of, but at some point he needs to get his house in order because these massive oversights are damaging students' education.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 5:18 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Any policy created under a dictatorship is flawed, even when it is "good."
Ron Huberman has no business running a school system, let alone the third largest schools system in the USA. This tiny piece of Huberfascism is just one of a hundred examples from the past six months, ranging from the purges of experienced people (many of them with teaching experience) to the hiring of the MBAs and CTAs, as if those two credentials should determine who is ready to run Chicago's schools.
This particular bit of Huberismic nonsense just happens to hit some of the most articulate teachers in CPS at a time when they have a few minutes to discuss it all here.
Beyond this is that tsunami of dictatorial edicts that Huberman has been pouring out from the day Daley appointed him, ranging from the purge of CPS at all levels to the appointment of millions of dollars of MBAs and CTAs to run the school system -- and terrorize everyone in it except the handful (temporarily) on the "Rent a Parent" or "Rent a Preacher" program.
Perhaps the most amazing thing about this past summer has been the absolute, total, complete and completely corrupt silence of Marilyn Stewart and her twenty million dollar team of corruptoids over at the Merchandise Mart. As long as Marilyn Stewart is a slave of Mayor Daley and Arne Duncan, these troubles will get worse and worse.
Ron Huberman has no business running a school system, let alone the third largest schools system in the USA. This tiny piece of Huberfascism is just one of a hundred examples from the past six months, ranging from the purges of experienced people (many of them with teaching experience) to the hiring of the MBAs and CTAs, as if those two credentials should determine who is ready to run Chicago's schools.
This particular bit of Huberismic nonsense just happens to hit some of the most articulate teachers in CPS at a time when they have a few minutes to discuss it all here.
Beyond this is that tsunami of dictatorial edicts that Huberman has been pouring out from the day Daley appointed him, ranging from the purge of CPS at all levels to the appointment of millions of dollars of MBAs and CTAs to run the school system -- and terrorize everyone in it except the handful (temporarily) on the "Rent a Parent" or "Rent a Preacher" program.
Perhaps the most amazing thing about this past summer has been the absolute, total, complete and completely corrupt silence of Marilyn Stewart and her twenty million dollar team of corruptoids over at the Merchandise Mart. As long as Marilyn Stewart is a slave of Mayor Daley and Arne Duncan, these troubles will get worse and worse.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 5:32 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
"First they came for Substance, but..."
This month is the ninth anniversary of my firing by a vote of the Chicago Board of Education.
The material discussed on this thread should have been resolved 24 years ago, when we (my students, Emerson Sawyer, and I) were inventing the "Macintosh Computer Classroom" at Amundsen High School. Instead, as the technology improved, the censors and analretentives expanded their grasps. This is just the latest iteration of some of the things that were going on in 1988 and 1990, when CPS provided Ed Klunk (then principal of Amundsen, and as has been shown clearly since, one of the most corrupt enemies of democracy anywhere) chortled because some of my students were freely exchanging news, views and musings via the old CPSNET (back before there was a World Wide Web and things like FaceBook were science fiction). The pile of printouts stood more than six inches tall! CPS had been capturing every exchange that came from the couple of dozen kids in my program who had full access to e-mail back in the day when "fast" e-mail meant 2400 bps.
All Ron Huberman has done is update the PURPLE PAPER CLIP RULE. That says that every bureaucracy will have a rule somewhere that someone will be "caught" violating when and if the dictator decided to play GOTCHA. Anyone who watched those scenes in The Wire will remember how thick the rules of proper police procedure were when the chief challenged underlings to find the fatal mistake being made by the street cops targeted under GOTCHA.
I'm only reporting this at this time because in the context of the past quarter century, anyone who didn't realize that every infringement on someone's First Amendment rights -- including that massive one on the rights of me and Substance a decade ago -- is, finally, an "injury to all."
We'll see if the next ten years yield a better respect for the rights of everyone than the previous 20 or so in Chicago and Chicago's schools. Hopefully, though, everyone complaining here will realize it was nothing personal, and this is about all of our rights, not just about the infringements against teachers who were going one step further making technology available to their classrooms, their students, and their families.
Some of us were already there a long, long time ago, when a Macintosh computer had to be lugged home by our students every weekend in that huge backpack carrying case. And when they were after our rights in Room 306 way back then, it was just a matter of time before...
I think I've made my point. Have a nice day, shipmates.
This month is the ninth anniversary of my firing by a vote of the Chicago Board of Education.
The material discussed on this thread should have been resolved 24 years ago, when we (my students, Emerson Sawyer, and I) were inventing the "Macintosh Computer Classroom" at Amundsen High School. Instead, as the technology improved, the censors and analretentives expanded their grasps. This is just the latest iteration of some of the things that were going on in 1988 and 1990, when CPS provided Ed Klunk (then principal of Amundsen, and as has been shown clearly since, one of the most corrupt enemies of democracy anywhere) chortled because some of my students were freely exchanging news, views and musings via the old CPSNET (back before there was a World Wide Web and things like FaceBook were science fiction). The pile of printouts stood more than six inches tall! CPS had been capturing every exchange that came from the couple of dozen kids in my program who had full access to e-mail back in the day when "fast" e-mail meant 2400 bps.
All Ron Huberman has done is update the PURPLE PAPER CLIP RULE. That says that every bureaucracy will have a rule somewhere that someone will be "caught" violating when and if the dictator decided to play GOTCHA. Anyone who watched those scenes in The Wire will remember how thick the rules of proper police procedure were when the chief challenged underlings to find the fatal mistake being made by the street cops targeted under GOTCHA.
I'm only reporting this at this time because in the context of the past quarter century, anyone who didn't realize that every infringement on someone's First Amendment rights -- including that massive one on the rights of me and Substance a decade ago -- is, finally, an "injury to all."
We'll see if the next ten years yield a better respect for the rights of everyone than the previous 20 or so in Chicago and Chicago's schools. Hopefully, though, everyone complaining here will realize it was nothing personal, and this is about all of our rights, not just about the infringements against teachers who were going one step further making technology available to their classrooms, their students, and their families.
Some of us were already there a long, long time ago, when a Macintosh computer had to be lugged home by our students every weekend in that huge backpack carrying case. And when they were after our rights in Room 306 way back then, it was just a matter of time before...
I think I've made my point. Have a nice day, shipmates.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 6:54 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Literacy
George hit the nail on the head this time, last post. Remembering my own
struggles with DOS then Windows 3.0, 95,98,ME,2000,XP,and finally
Vista. However personally I always thought of how kids could use
Computers ,even as I cursed out the dam mouse.
The Bureau of libraries has tremendous data bases available. So does
The CPL, and in Jessie Whites role as state librarian, Illinois has some
gems of it’s own. Then there is e-mail.
Every week at least one kid forgets a paper or report or speech. But
Most kids now have the work on their home computers so a call home,
is that now verboten? Usually allows Mom or Dad or Sis, to send it
to the Library using the students E-Mail where we download and print out the
work. Real smart kids just E-Mail it to themselves and print it out at school
thus preventing the dog from eating the paper. I have never helped, or watched
any student use the Board system for this, not once. If we stop kids from
using personal accounts for school work then we better make sure everyone
has a account that works. The Board better resolve the Vista problems too.
I only hope common sense prevails in these real situations.
George hit the nail on the head this time, last post. Remembering my own
struggles with DOS then Windows 3.0, 95,98,ME,2000,XP,and finally
Vista. However personally I always thought of how kids could use
Computers ,even as I cursed out the dam mouse.
The Bureau of libraries has tremendous data bases available. So does
The CPL, and in Jessie Whites role as state librarian, Illinois has some
gems of it’s own. Then there is e-mail.
Every week at least one kid forgets a paper or report or speech. But
Most kids now have the work on their home computers so a call home,
is that now verboten? Usually allows Mom or Dad or Sis, to send it
to the Library using the students E-Mail where we download and print out the
work. Real smart kids just E-Mail it to themselves and print it out at school
thus preventing the dog from eating the paper. I have never helped, or watched
any student use the Board system for this, not once. If we stop kids from
using personal accounts for school work then we better make sure everyone
has a account that works. The Board better resolve the Vista problems too.
I only hope common sense prevails in these real situations.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 7:40 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
I wonder if this policy came about because of a teacher having sex with a 15 year old teacher @ Hyde Park.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 8:17 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
that 'secret' HR fair, was not a secret to Ron. he knew about it and apporved it--he just got caught off-guard and then blamed HR.
He is a poor manager and in over his head. We do not even know the AIO.cao yet or the organization or the names and numbers of who to call and school has started for about 1/3 of our students.
what a mess.
He is a poor manager and in over his head. We do not even know the AIO.cao yet or the organization or the names and numbers of who to call and school has started for about 1/3 of our students.
what a mess.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 12:13 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Third rate system that no one wants to use in the classroom! It doesn't follow the K.I.S.S principals of simplicity of design. First Class may have been hip in 1999 but not in 2009. Idiots! The fellow who introduced this system should be fired!
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 12:53 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Beyond the fact that we are crippling extension learning opportunities for our students in their current classes (as my online discussion forum through wetpaint is now unacceptable but the school has yet to purchase a program that makes such an activity feasible i.e. Blackboard or School Loop) we are setting up CPS students to be behind when they attend post-secondary education. Throughout my undergraduate degree and two subsequent masters, online learning opportunities, paper submissions, discussions, etc. were prevalent and mandatory. Our students are going to get to college and be stymied at the thought of having to respond to a classmate or teacher via a discussion board simply because someone wrote an overarching policy with no thought to how it will effect learning. I get the concept of covering your butt, but is that the primary goal of CPS from now on?
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 1:05 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Yes!! And the GOTCHA factor is going to be devastating at schools like Gunsaulus, Field, etc. Principals at these schools will use these policies to punish to the greatest extent possible. This is simply a way to either say teachers do not communicate with parents, or do not abide by AUP. I'd be curious to see the stats on write ups in regards to these policies in the coming year.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 1:08 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Even worse- the only experience students will have with communication via technology will be text messaging and social networking with friends. What will are professor say when a student's first blackboard submission uses u for you, 2 for to, etc. Because the student has no idea that this is unacceptable.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 1:19 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Friends who are teachers who are not CPS teachers or administrators of professional educational organizations will be laughing at Chicago again.
While the more affluent suburbs, with their strict rules, are able to justify and use modern web 2.0 applications for using forums, publishing work, planning and collaborating around projects, we get a suits who know nothing about the needs of students to use modern applications with social responsibility. Modern companies use Web apps for calendering, planning, listing of who is responsible for what, posting milestones, and forums for clarifying posts with chats in secure environments. Blackboard and other tools are needed to use in college. Professional education organizations are using services line Ning to establish connections among professionals.
This is about keeping our students in the stone age! It is about Huberman not knowing trends in Educational Technology. It is about Huberman trying to pull a fast one without consulting anyone other than his ignorant friends!
Arne didn't know much but Huberman shows how inarticulate he is on such matters!
While the more affluent suburbs, with their strict rules, are able to justify and use modern web 2.0 applications for using forums, publishing work, planning and collaborating around projects, we get a suits who know nothing about the needs of students to use modern applications with social responsibility. Modern companies use Web apps for calendering, planning, listing of who is responsible for what, posting milestones, and forums for clarifying posts with chats in secure environments. Blackboard and other tools are needed to use in college. Professional education organizations are using services line Ning to establish connections among professionals.
This is about keeping our students in the stone age! It is about Huberman not knowing trends in Educational Technology. It is about Huberman trying to pull a fast one without consulting anyone other than his ignorant friends!
Arne didn't know much but Huberman shows how inarticulate he is on such matters!
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 1:20 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
students who take online classes (for make-up OR for enrichment) use blackboard, etc. is that now outlawed as well? The virtural high school teachers (who live throughout the state) contact students cell phone to cell phone.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 1:26 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
What's with everyone's comments being underlined?
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 1:27 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
IVHS students also use "ELUMINATE" - kids from across the state are in the same virtual classroom together (live on the intenet). Is this unlawful?
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 1:38 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
students who take online classes (for make-up OR for enrichment) use blackboard, etc. is that now outlawed as well?
That depends on whether or not Blackboard is hosted on and operated within the CPS Network. If it is, it's ok. Otherwise it will violate the AUP and is subject to at least suspension or revocation of CPS Network access up to termination.
Cell phone contact with students, whether voice or text, is prohibited. Cell phones are explicitly listed under Artile VII Devices. And "All employees communicating with students via
electronic means must do so using CPS Network systems." Again, violation of the AUP can result in suspension or revocation of CPS Network access or termination.
All CPS employees will need to be extremely careful. Besides the new policy, even the most minimal discipline of suspension of access to the CPS Network will functionally result in eventual termination, as Danny noted above. It is impossible to perform your required duties without such access.
That depends on whether or not Blackboard is hosted on and operated within the CPS Network. If it is, it's ok. Otherwise it will violate the AUP and is subject to at least suspension or revocation of CPS Network access up to termination.
Cell phone contact with students, whether voice or text, is prohibited. Cell phones are explicitly listed under Artile VII Devices. And "All employees communicating with students via
electronic means must do so using CPS Network systems." Again, violation of the AUP can result in suspension or revocation of CPS Network access or termination.
All CPS employees will need to be extremely careful. Besides the new policy, even the most minimal discipline of suspension of access to the CPS Network will functionally result in eventual termination, as Danny noted above. It is impossible to perform your required duties without such access.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 1:41 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
IVHS students also use "ELUMINATE" - kids from across the state are in the same virtual classroom together (live on the intenet). Is this unlawful?
Unlawful? No. But it will be in violation of the Acceptable Use Policy unless ELUMINATE is operated on the CPS Network. Any electronic communication between CPS employee and CPS student outside of the CPS Network is a violation.
Unlawful? No. But it will be in violation of the Acceptable Use Policy unless ELUMINATE is operated on the CPS Network. Any electronic communication between CPS employee and CPS student outside of the CPS Network is a violation.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 1:44 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Does anyone have a lesson plan where Facebook or MySpace are used? I'd like to see that. All I see are teachers who want to update their sites and avoid their job of watching the students in class. I see too many teachers who walk into a computer lab set the kids down to do whatever and then sit back and surf the web for their own needs. The CPS Network is funded by taxpayers and I doubt they want to find out that those millions are being spent so that kids can play flash games and teachers can shop at target.com. Don't believe it? I have the screen captures to prove it. The internet can be a great education tool but it is also a superb time waster. Many teachers feel it is perfectly acceptable to let students have free time in the computer lab so it becomes destroyed, garbage and waste everywhere. I have 90 desktops in my school and 90 of them are damaged in someway. They are all less than 2 years old. So lets let the teachers access their Facebook pages and continue to ignore their classes.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 1:50 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Am I wrong to read between the lines? Has CPS upgraded their network snooping/monitoring capabilities? Over 6 years ago, ITS was testing an extremely serious snooping device. Just wondering if they put more money in such equipment.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 1:53 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Bento the troll. Don't talk nonsense! I think you belong on the Townhall.com forums!
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 1:54 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
CPS is already in violation of its own AUP. It has been using Twitter and FaceBook to communicate with students.
I propose that any and all culprits at 125 S Clark St. immediately suffer a suspension of access to the CPS Network. The AUP "applies to all Board employees, officers, temporary employees, interns, vendors, consultants,
contractors and authorized agents and volunteers working under the supervision of a school principal,
who use Board Computer Resources and/or access the CPS Network."
I propose that any and all culprits at 125 S Clark St. immediately suffer a suspension of access to the CPS Network. The AUP "applies to all Board employees, officers, temporary employees, interns, vendors, consultants,
contractors and authorized agents and volunteers working under the supervision of a school principal,
who use Board Computer Resources and/or access the CPS Network."
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 1:56 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
In response to Bento:
I don't believe that anyone on this message board is lamenting the policy because it will block teachers from accessing their own facebook accounts. The issue at hand with policy is that it outlaws any technology not on the CPS system, which is pretty much tantamount to outlawing every program other than the cumbersome FirstClass. This system is low in functionality and in no way allows students and teachers meaningful technological learning opportunities.
The AUP also increases the difficulty of reaching parents as now only calls may be made from the minimally available phone in the building. Parents work outside the hours of the school day. As a teacher I have no issue with talking to a parent at 6:30 pm on a weekday in order to speak them after their employment hours. I am not, however, willing to sit in my school until that time so that I may use one of the two phones available to me through CPS- particularly as I have my own family at home to attend to.
As a side note: a proper use of facebook in schools? Several schools in Chicagoland area use facebook to promote their studnet publications, newspaper and yearbooks, in order to reach kids where they are- on facebook.
I don't believe that anyone on this message board is lamenting the policy because it will block teachers from accessing their own facebook accounts. The issue at hand with policy is that it outlaws any technology not on the CPS system, which is pretty much tantamount to outlawing every program other than the cumbersome FirstClass. This system is low in functionality and in no way allows students and teachers meaningful technological learning opportunities.
The AUP also increases the difficulty of reaching parents as now only calls may be made from the minimally available phone in the building. Parents work outside the hours of the school day. As a teacher I have no issue with talking to a parent at 6:30 pm on a weekday in order to speak them after their employment hours. I am not, however, willing to sit in my school until that time so that I may use one of the two phones available to me through CPS- particularly as I have my own family at home to attend to.
As a side note: a proper use of facebook in schools? Several schools in Chicagoland area use facebook to promote their studnet publications, newspaper and yearbooks, in order to reach kids where they are- on facebook.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 1:59 PM
Read the Blog
Of course Facebook and MySpace aren't permitted, but according to upset teachers they should be for some kind of educational purpose, which has yet to be proven.
I just wish teachers would do what they are hired to do and practice a little classroom management.
I just wish teachers would do what they are hired to do and practice a little classroom management.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 2:01 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Who has access to Facebook or Myspace within the CPS network?
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 2:16 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
The ban is beyond Social Media. One thinks right away about Twitter, facebook and Myspace. Actually, the title should be about the ban of Web applications, period! As a teacher I think of wiki's, forums, mind mapping apps, video/audio sites like animoto, or voicethread.com. These are apps highlighted as being used in best practices at NECC Convention and other professional development organization sites, like nwp.org
Huberman lack of consulting techco's, teachers, school principals on this matter is more big brother mandating without thinking! It would be good if Hubeman talked with a professional education organization like ISTE on what would be ramifications by the new policy.
Huberman and his surrogates, as many have mentioned have no clue on Technology and its role in education! Sad. Who pays the price is our children!
Huberman lack of consulting techco's, teachers, school principals on this matter is more big brother mandating without thinking! It would be good if Hubeman talked with a professional education organization like ISTE on what would be ramifications by the new policy.
Huberman and his surrogates, as many have mentioned have no clue on Technology and its role in education! Sad. Who pays the price is our children!
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 2:34 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
This should be the correct title piggybacking on last post.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 2:53 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
I agree, the most important impact here is beyond social media. However, the AUP does not ban the use of wikis, audio sites, or video resources. It bans *communication* between teachers and students outside of the CPS Network. Of course, forums, discussions groups, thoughtful responses to audio, video analysis, or other activities involving non-rote memorization require students to interact with one another and the teacher. This is what CPS has banned outside of its own network: communication/interaction with students.
I have a site that hosts documents, audio, video, and other multimedia that my students are required to access for weekly assignments in which I require their thoughtful response and discussion. Besides the fact that I can't possibly store the media required for my curricula on a maximum of 600MB of storage (100MB local, 500MB FirstClass - including all e-mails and attachments) my students know literally nothing of FirstClass. Only a few have even heard of it. But all of my students know how to get to and utilize my site because it follows basic conventions for online interaction and accessibility with which students are already familiar. My site has required zero training of my students. FirstClass, at best, is cumbersome, confusing, unnecessarily proprietary, slow-slow-slow, and requires significant training of both teacher and student, none of which has been provided by CPS.
Beyond that, the technology skills I developed in creating my website (use of Flash, WordPress, CSS, HTML, FTP, various scripting, etc.) are easily applied to any teaching job anywhere. Even if it were possible to duplicate all of my site's functionality in FirstClass, which I don't believe is possible, the skills I might develop doing so would be useless upon leaving CPS.
I took the initiative to develop skills, content, and interface outside of the CPS Network because it served the needs and best interests of my students. Obviously, that was a mistake. No more. I'm not willing to risk my job over it.
And don't get me started on cell phones. I have dozens of students regularly contact me about relevant class material through my cell phone, whether verbally or via text message. Never again. I'm not going to risk my job over it.
I have a site that hosts documents, audio, video, and other multimedia that my students are required to access for weekly assignments in which I require their thoughtful response and discussion. Besides the fact that I can't possibly store the media required for my curricula on a maximum of 600MB of storage (100MB local, 500MB FirstClass - including all e-mails and attachments) my students know literally nothing of FirstClass. Only a few have even heard of it. But all of my students know how to get to and utilize my site because it follows basic conventions for online interaction and accessibility with which students are already familiar. My site has required zero training of my students. FirstClass, at best, is cumbersome, confusing, unnecessarily proprietary, slow-slow-slow, and requires significant training of both teacher and student, none of which has been provided by CPS.
Beyond that, the technology skills I developed in creating my website (use of Flash, WordPress, CSS, HTML, FTP, various scripting, etc.) are easily applied to any teaching job anywhere. Even if it were possible to duplicate all of my site's functionality in FirstClass, which I don't believe is possible, the skills I might develop doing so would be useless upon leaving CPS.
I took the initiative to develop skills, content, and interface outside of the CPS Network because it served the needs and best interests of my students. Obviously, that was a mistake. No more. I'm not willing to risk my job over it.
And don't get me started on cell phones. I have dozens of students regularly contact me about relevant class material through my cell phone, whether verbally or via text message. Never again. I'm not going to risk my job over it.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 3:09 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Help
Perhaps if some of the best IT people were retained at Elizabeth Street
We might have a system after all.
To the guy who has screen captures of teachers I hope you turned them in
Since all the sites you mentioned are blocked by the board. If you did
Not you are a true piece of work.
To the person who wants to see a lesson plan using these social networks
Why don’t you write one? Give my kids, especially IB, a camera software,
technical advice, me, and we will give the world Chicago so please do not
disregard You-Tube as educationally suspect, because some people haven’t the imagination to use it properly.
Perhaps if some of the best IT people were retained at Elizabeth Street
We might have a system after all.
To the guy who has screen captures of teachers I hope you turned them in
Since all the sites you mentioned are blocked by the board. If you did
Not you are a true piece of work.
To the person who wants to see a lesson plan using these social networks
Why don’t you write one? Give my kids, especially IB, a camera software,
technical advice, me, and we will give the world Chicago so please do not
disregard You-Tube as educationally suspect, because some people haven’t the imagination to use it properly.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 3:19 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Yup! No one will risk their job to bring best practice technology innovation into the classroom and lab! Huberman just killed it! In the words of Jerry Springer, where did you find this guy!
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 3:19 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
The rule Huberman is applying is not unlike that used in numerous school districts. Really CPS teachers are out of touch with the rest of the world. Here is but one example of many:
Windham School District
E-mail Guidelines for Teacher and Parent Communication
Introduction
The Windham School District recognizes that electronic mail (e-mail) is a valuable communication tool that is widely used across our society. Staff members are provided with district e-mail accounts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of communication both within the organization and with the broader community. The Superintendent of Schools reserves the right to decide if teachers can use e-mail as a means of communication with parents.
General E-mail Guidelines for Parent Communication
Staff using e-mail to correspond with parents must adhere to the following:
Staff must use a school provided e-mail account for all parent communications.
Staff must adhere to the Windham School District E-mail Retention Policy.
E-mail must never be used to discuss contentious, emotional or highly confidential issues. These issues should be dealt with face-to-face or by phone.
E-mail messages to parents should be consistent with professional practices for other correspondence. This includes grammar, format and salutation.
All e-mails that reside on the District servers may not be confidential. E-mail messages may be requested by the public under the Right-To-Know Law and may, unless they are exempt under the law, be open to public inspection.
E-mails should be short and directional in nature and only include facts.
E-mail parents only when they have agreed that e-mail is an appropriate form of communication and they have signed the Windham School District E-mail Permission Form.
Only communicate with parents at e-mail addresses listed on the e-mail permission form.
Care should be given when using student names. Refer to students by first name, initials or your son/daughter depending on the content. Do not discuss non-related students.
The School District maintains e-mail accounts for teachers to facilitate parent/teacher communication and internal staff communication. The District reserves the right to block or filter e-mail messages to staff that are not directly related to District business or to the District's educational mission.
Acceptable Use of Parent Communication
E-mail should be used for general information such as; class activities, curriculum, assignments, tests, deadlines and special events.
To arrange for a meeting/telephone call regarding a student issue including a general description of the issue e.g. ìI would like to arrange a meeting to discuss your daughter's attendance.î
Follow-up on an issue that has previously been discussed.
Unacceptable Use of Parent Communication
E-mail should not include:
Any discussion related to other students.
Personal information about other students.
Specifics about a sensitive student issue which was not initiated by the parent or had not previously been discussed with the parent. (e.g. 'I am concerned that your daughter failed the last three tests and was not at school again today.')
Any discussion related to other staff.
Any sensitive student information that would normally be discussed face-to-face or by phone. (e.g. I am concerned that your daughter may have a learning disability.)
Windham School District
E-mail Guidelines for Teacher and Parent Communication
Introduction
The Windham School District recognizes that electronic mail (e-mail) is a valuable communication tool that is widely used across our society. Staff members are provided with district e-mail accounts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of communication both within the organization and with the broader community. The Superintendent of Schools reserves the right to decide if teachers can use e-mail as a means of communication with parents.
General E-mail Guidelines for Parent Communication
Staff using e-mail to correspond with parents must adhere to the following:
Staff must use a school provided e-mail account for all parent communications.
Staff must adhere to the Windham School District E-mail Retention Policy.
E-mail must never be used to discuss contentious, emotional or highly confidential issues. These issues should be dealt with face-to-face or by phone.
E-mail messages to parents should be consistent with professional practices for other correspondence. This includes grammar, format and salutation.
All e-mails that reside on the District servers may not be confidential. E-mail messages may be requested by the public under the Right-To-Know Law and may, unless they are exempt under the law, be open to public inspection.
E-mails should be short and directional in nature and only include facts.
E-mail parents only when they have agreed that e-mail is an appropriate form of communication and they have signed the Windham School District E-mail Permission Form.
Only communicate with parents at e-mail addresses listed on the e-mail permission form.
Care should be given when using student names. Refer to students by first name, initials or your son/daughter depending on the content. Do not discuss non-related students.
The School District maintains e-mail accounts for teachers to facilitate parent/teacher communication and internal staff communication. The District reserves the right to block or filter e-mail messages to staff that are not directly related to District business or to the District's educational mission.
Acceptable Use of Parent Communication
E-mail should be used for general information such as; class activities, curriculum, assignments, tests, deadlines and special events.
To arrange for a meeting/telephone call regarding a student issue including a general description of the issue e.g. ìI would like to arrange a meeting to discuss your daughter's attendance.î
Follow-up on an issue that has previously been discussed.
Unacceptable Use of Parent Communication
E-mail should not include:
Any discussion related to other students.
Personal information about other students.
Specifics about a sensitive student issue which was not initiated by the parent or had not previously been discussed with the parent. (e.g. 'I am concerned that your daughter failed the last three tests and was not at school again today.')
Any discussion related to other staff.
Any sensitive student information that would normally be discussed face-to-face or by phone. (e.g. I am concerned that your daughter may have a learning disability.)
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 3:27 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
First Class is a prehistoric app.
I guess you haven't caught up with corporate trends. If you follow trends on Mashable.com or Techcrunch.com you will find that corporations are starting to let their workers use twitter and other such tools as policy because it brings in business.
That is beside the point here. Such ramifications of this policy will kill innovation. It is called throwing the baby out with the bath water.
I guess you haven't caught up with corporate trends. If you follow trends on Mashable.com or Techcrunch.com you will find that corporations are starting to let their workers use twitter and other such tools as policy because it brings in business.
That is beside the point here. Such ramifications of this policy will kill innovation. It is called throwing the baby out with the bath water.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 3:36 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Teaching students Web 2.0 technologies is not the focus - teaching student to work collaboratively is and Web 2.0 technologies help that. We don't need to access Facebook in school. Facebook has no educational value because it does not allow useful collaborative communication. Let's face it though, the root issue here is the number of teachers, staff, and students who use CPS technology resources for inappropriate things. This policy is CPS's standard response to ban it all.
On an interesting side note, the day after I posted my response to this, "CPSBacktoschool" started following me on Twitter - a system I have been experiementing with as a class reminder tool. (and only use for school-related things, no personal stuff)
On an interesting side note, the day after I posted my response to this, "CPSBacktoschool" started following me on Twitter - a system I have been experiementing with as a class reminder tool. (and only use for school-related things, no personal stuff)
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 3:39 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Want to see if the bureaucrats are following their own rules? Do a FOIA for all communications about this policy. (These are official documents.) If any of the discussion threads come from non cps addresses, there you have it.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 3:47 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Does this new policy apply to employee to employee communications as well? If so, when will 125 begin providing CPS approved cell phones to city-wide teachers?
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 3:47 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
The Windham School District policy you cite applies ONLY to e-mail. The larger and more important concern with the CPS AUP has little, if anything, to do with e-mail. (As you point out, their policy seems standard enough in that regard.) It has to do with communication and interaction, vital to an effective learning community, among teachers, students, and parents.
What other school districts ban any and all communication between teachers and students outside of their own private network? What other school districts ban contacting students via cell phone? What other school districts require electronic communication ONLY through their own private network and then assert ownership over any and all information, files, programs, multi-media, etc. that passes through it? What other school districts deny teachers the opportunity to craft their own interactive web tools for use among students?
What other school districts ban any and all communication between teachers and students outside of their own private network? What other school districts ban contacting students via cell phone? What other school districts require electronic communication ONLY through their own private network and then assert ownership over any and all information, files, programs, multi-media, etc. that passes through it? What other school districts deny teachers the opportunity to craft their own interactive web tools for use among students?
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 3:52 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
I would say that NCLB has had a negative effect on proper use of technology in the classroom and innovating practice because money was now spent of "accountability" measures taken by the board to comply with NCLB mandates.
CPS is paying big money for maintaining two programs online. the Student Information (SIM)and Gradebook. Why? Why do we have a third rate gradebook?
Electronic IEP is another debacle. A online application that is not even beta worthy that locks up on the users.
First Class is unusable and below the present technology standards as a usable application. Another debacle.
What I have found useful was the montage video server.
One would think that we would have smartboards in our rooms to take instruction to the next level. We get Huberman, who knows nothing about technology in the classroom.
CPS is paying big money for maintaining two programs online. the Student Information (SIM)and Gradebook. Why? Why do we have a third rate gradebook?
Electronic IEP is another debacle. A online application that is not even beta worthy that locks up on the users.
First Class is unusable and below the present technology standards as a usable application. Another debacle.
What I have found useful was the montage video server.
One would think that we would have smartboards in our rooms to take instruction to the next level. We get Huberman, who knows nothing about technology in the classroom.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 3:58 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
A majority of my students have cell phones and text message incessantly. I also created a Twitter account for my performance ensembles and my classes as a means to easily and effectively send reminders (like yours, strictly school related) without having to pay for bulk text messages. Thought limited in its scope tt was quite useful for what it was. Oh well.
CPSBacktoschool and ChicagoAlumni requested permission to follow my Twitter account as well. I declined their request.
CPSBacktoschool and ChicagoAlumni requested permission to follow my Twitter account as well. I declined their request.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 3:59 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Twitter is too convoluted for any real use. Let's say that you want to Twit something to your students. First you have to make sure they all have Twitter accounts. A new study shows that teenagers are not interested in twitter. The average user is over 25. 20% at 55+. But for sake of argument, once they are in they must subscribe to your twits but they will find 100's more they will want to read. So the "do your homework" twit you send out will be lost amongst "OMG I just cut my fingernails" and "Ashton Kutcher found what in his Peanut Butter"
In First Class you can create a conference where you can interact directly with your student with little or no outside influences. The students can create and submit homework to you through this First Class Conference and you can return it to their email as well as their parents email.
Someone said their principal asked teachers to use Yahoo messenger and mail instead of First Class. Why? You can do all of that in First Class and more. Create conferences to update info to the staff. Build a contact list of all your teachers then use the built in IM in FC to contact your staff as you would in Yahoo. Plus there are no ads or distractions, like who is Lindsey Lohan dating, that pop up through Yahoo's "news" sources. The problem isn't that FC isn't powerful enough or not usable, it's just that most don't know how to use it or want to take the time to learn how.
In First Class you can create a conference where you can interact directly with your student with little or no outside influences. The students can create and submit homework to you through this First Class Conference and you can return it to their email as well as their parents email.
Someone said their principal asked teachers to use Yahoo messenger and mail instead of First Class. Why? You can do all of that in First Class and more. Create conferences to update info to the staff. Build a contact list of all your teachers then use the built in IM in FC to contact your staff as you would in Yahoo. Plus there are no ads or distractions, like who is Lindsey Lohan dating, that pop up through Yahoo's "news" sources. The problem isn't that FC isn't powerful enough or not usable, it's just that most don't know how to use it or want to take the time to learn how.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 4:15 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
teachers I admire you all--innovative, caring and working in the 21st C., with and for your students and then we get junk like this to tollerate, or run and hide from or if we can, go around from,
Well Marilyn, where are you--reese and Vaughn and debbie would have been ALL over this and even had a press conference or at least quotes in the media. You lack of interest in what teachers are in need of is so low, you should step down from you post asap.
Shame on you. "Teacher" should not be associated with you.
Now will it be up to CORE to get a group of teachers at the next Board meeting to bring this to RealEsateOlympic Michael's attention? Or to IdntknowhtsgoinRon?
BTW-The Board meeting starts later this month.
Well Marilyn, where are you--reese and Vaughn and debbie would have been ALL over this and even had a press conference or at least quotes in the media. You lack of interest in what teachers are in need of is so low, you should step down from you post asap.
Shame on you. "Teacher" should not be associated with you.
Now will it be up to CORE to get a group of teachers at the next Board meeting to bring this to RealEsateOlympic Michael's attention? Or to IdntknowhtsgoinRon?
BTW-The Board meeting starts later this month.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 4:22 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
they do not want anyone spreading the King Daley You Tube video--Nothing negative about the chicago bid for olympics--OIC
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 4:23 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Social network restrictions in this AUP don't matter much even though I found Twitter to be very useful and effective with my students. (And you're right, it took some work getting everyone signed up.) But your comparison of Twitter to FirstClass is not a valid one.
A large majority of my students have cell phones. Very, very few have computers. So, contacting them through FirstClass does little unless they have been trained in FirstClass and have a computer (rare) or are already in the school building. Obviously, a text message or a tweet (not twit as you mentioned above) covers much greater ground and does it far more immediately. But, again, while I don't care for the restrictions on social networking, that aspect isn't really a very big problem for me. It's really only a minor inconvenience.
Yes, FirstClass does have a little functionality to it - it's just convoluted and confusing. I agree it's usable, but it does require too much training and effort to do what can more easily be done without it. Let's take an example...
Assignment: Watch two videos. Compare and contrast in an online classroom discussion.
My site: Visit the home page, watch the videos, read comments, and respond. All without ever leaving the homepage.
In FirstClass? 0) Optionally, install the FirstClass client. 1) Log in with the client or through the web portal (which is not very good compared to the client). 2) Navigate to the assignment and read it. 3) Download or view the video in another application. 4) Navigate to the discussion section to read comments and write a response. 5) Refer back to the video or assignment documents as necessary. 6) Log out.
That's an easy choice for me and for my students.
A large majority of my students have cell phones. Very, very few have computers. So, contacting them through FirstClass does little unless they have been trained in FirstClass and have a computer (rare) or are already in the school building. Obviously, a text message or a tweet (not twit as you mentioned above) covers much greater ground and does it far more immediately. But, again, while I don't care for the restrictions on social networking, that aspect isn't really a very big problem for me. It's really only a minor inconvenience.
Yes, FirstClass does have a little functionality to it - it's just convoluted and confusing. I agree it's usable, but it does require too much training and effort to do what can more easily be done without it. Let's take an example...
Assignment: Watch two videos. Compare and contrast in an online classroom discussion.
My site: Visit the home page, watch the videos, read comments, and respond. All without ever leaving the homepage.
In FirstClass? 0) Optionally, install the FirstClass client. 1) Log in with the client or through the web portal (which is not very good compared to the client). 2) Navigate to the assignment and read it. 3) Download or view the video in another application. 4) Navigate to the discussion section to read comments and write a response. 5) Refer back to the video or assignment documents as necessary. 6) Log out.
That's an easy choice for me and for my students.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 4:25 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Get twitter off your brain. I believe in student security and protecting them as being very important. The Email policy is not the focus as the sweeping new AUP points of what cannot be done. As mentioned, using outside forums and other tools that are seen as useful by ISTE and teachers that are services off the CPS network may get one fired. First Class is plain bad!
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 4:50 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
I spent my afternoon looking into some of the FirstClass online tutorials. And all I can say is....wow.
It is waaaaaayyyyyy more convoluted and discombobulated than I thought it was before I visited the help section. I was hoping the opposite would be true. If I want any meaningful interaction with my students online I guess I'll have to figure it out. I'm a fairly geeky guy and I'm definitely not looking forward to it. I suppose I'll need to find storage space, too, since FirstClass doesn't come close to handling the media I already have not to mention what I'll be adding for the coming school year.
Damn. A job in the 'burbs is looking more and more appealing.
It is waaaaaayyyyyy more convoluted and discombobulated than I thought it was before I visited the help section. I was hoping the opposite would be true. If I want any meaningful interaction with my students online I guess I'll have to figure it out. I'm a fairly geeky guy and I'm definitely not looking forward to it. I suppose I'll need to find storage space, too, since FirstClass doesn't come close to handling the media I already have not to mention what I'll be adding for the coming school year.
Damn. A job in the 'burbs is looking more and more appealing.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 5:07 PM
An object lesson in putting today's generation off teaching.
It's hard to think of anything you could do to make teaching a less attractive career option for the current generation. HR types should start budgetting for some expensive campaigns to try to undo the damage this will do to new teacher recruitment for the next few years until someone sees sense.
It's simply unbelievable that this has come from a school system charged with educating students for life in the 21st century. This creates a system which sets out to actively hold staff and students back from engaging in the most significant change in generations.
It's simply unbelievable that this has come from a school system charged with educating students for life in the 21st century. This creates a system which sets out to actively hold staff and students back from engaging in the most significant change in generations.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 5:12 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
As many of you have pointed out the new Huberman rule includes phone calls. I would advise to Huberman to look at some other school districts that require teachers to use scripts when talking to parents. This would be a solid addition to his already outstanding plan. The suggestion below comes from a Wisconsin School district, CPS could however require and develop a script for every possible discussion, if it is not written you are to SAY NOTHING.
Telephone Script - Think, write it out before you make that phone call to parents. A good script can create a welcoming first contact with parents or a conflictive one. Ask questions that promote resolution in a student issue or ask those that provide positive teacher/parent teamwork in preventing future issues. In addition, have a script that's called the "good news" script where parents are called with good news and celebrations of a students academic and behavioral performance in the classroom.
Telephone Script - Think, write it out before you make that phone call to parents. A good script can create a welcoming first contact with parents or a conflictive one. Ask questions that promote resolution in a student issue or ask those that provide positive teacher/parent teamwork in preventing future issues. In addition, have a script that's called the "good news" script where parents are called with good news and celebrations of a students academic and behavioral performance in the classroom.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 5:20 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
On an interesting side note, the day after I posted my response to this, "CPSBacktoschool" started following me on Twitter - a system I have been experiementing with as a class reminder tool. (and only use for school-related things, no personal stuff)
When I checked my email a little while ago (my gmail, not FirstClass), there was a message stating that CPSBacktoschool is following me as well. Somebody downtown is violating the AUP, and not even for instructional purposes.
When I checked my email a little while ago (my gmail, not FirstClass), there was a message stating that CPSBacktoschool is following me as well. Somebody downtown is violating the AUP, and not even for instructional purposes.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 5:22 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
remember you can block followers or even set to private if you want.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 5:23 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
remember you can block followers or even set to private if you want.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 5:29 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
How will this impact school-home communication plans in IEPs for students with disabilities? email/phone?
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 5:31 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
What would happen to students if they violate this new AUP policy? "Students are subject to and must comply with the Board's policy on students use of the CPS Network and Computer Resources. FIRST VIOLATION: Teacher-Student_Resource Person-Administrator Conference; In-school Suspension (one to five days); Detention-Before School-After School-Saturday; Suspension (one to five days); Suspension of CPS Network privileges for improper use of the CPS Network or Information Technology Devices for up to one semester, in addition to any other disciplinary action listed; Balanced and restorative justice strategies may be used where appropriate and approved by the school administration, provided that all participation is voluntary. REPEATED VIOLATIONS: Suspension (one to ten days) and/or disciplinary reassignment per Area approval; Referral to School Peer Jury in lieu of suspension (if available and approved by the principal); Suspension of CPS Network privileges for improper use of the CPS Network or Information Technology Devices for up to one year, in addition to any other disciplinary action listed; Balanced and restorative justice strategies may be used where appropriate and approval by the school administration, provided that all participation is voluntary."
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 5:32 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
How will this impact school-home communication plans in IEPs for students with disabilities? email/phone?
It will impact only those school-home communication plans that would take place outside of the CPS Network - non-CPS e-mail and cell phones being the two most likely candidates. Those two are banned.
It will impact only those school-home communication plans that would take place outside of the CPS Network - non-CPS e-mail and cell phones being the two most likely candidates. Those two are banned.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 5:35 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Moodle, if it results in communication between staff and students, is forbidden because it would take place outside of the CPS Network.
From the AUP: All employees communicating with students via electronic means must do so using CPS Network systems.
From the AUP: All employees communicating with students via electronic means must do so using CPS Network systems.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 5:39 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Moodle rocks, and prepares students for what they'll be doing in college (moodle).
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 6:33 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
First Class is often unavailable from my home computer so I would not expect my students to conference and complete homework assignments from an unreliable source. My students' parents would get very frustrated with this as some use the public library to complete computer assignments. The students come in early to print it out in my classroom. This is a harsh reality in some (most ?)Chicago homes-lack of a computer, no Internet, or no printer ink. It is unfair of us, as teachers, to expect that all students have the same access to technology.
As far as the e-IEP the sh-- will hit the fan in the fall when everyone will be expected to use it. I would like to know who has the contract for this disaster as ISBE has had an e-IEP for several years that could have been tweaked for CPS-and it is FREE!
As far as the e-IEP the sh-- will hit the fan in the fall when everyone will be expected to use it. I would like to know who has the contract for this disaster as ISBE has had an e-IEP for several years that could have been tweaked for CPS-and it is FREE!
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 6:43 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
http://www.suntimes.com/news/24-7/1710912,cortez-reed-justin-daniels-murder-081109.article
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 7:15 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
4:15 writes Well Marilyn, where are you... You lack of interest in what teachers are in need of is so low, you should step down from you post asap.
Actually, I think Marilyn's fingerprints are all over this policy.
Among Unacceptable Uses, note number 20: "promotes or participates in any way in internal political or election activities related to a union or other organization representing employees"
Marilyn doesn't like the idea that First Class e-mail and discussion boards may be used against her in next year's election. I'm not ordinarily a betting man, but I bet this plank came straight from the Chicago Teachers Union.
Actually, I think Marilyn's fingerprints are all over this policy.
Among Unacceptable Uses, note number 20: "promotes or participates in any way in internal political or election activities related to a union or other organization representing employees"
Marilyn doesn't like the idea that First Class e-mail and discussion boards may be used against her in next year's election. I'm not ordinarily a betting man, but I bet this plank came straight from the Chicago Teachers Union.
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 7:29 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Danny, I agree that President Stewart's fingerprints are all over Unacceptable Use #20 since, according to the contract, delegates or their designees are explicitly allowed to distribute hard copies of Union materials to school employee mailboxes.
Physical mailboxes? Ok! Digital mailboxes? Off limits!
How odd.
From the Agreement, Article 1-16:
The UNION shall have the right to place material in the mailboxes of teachers and other bargaining unit members. Placement will be made by the school delegate or the school delegate’s designee. Material placed in mailboxes shall be restricted to official material supplied by the UNION or material signed by the school delegate. [Emphasis is mine.]
Physical mailboxes? Ok! Digital mailboxes? Off limits!
How odd.
From the Agreement, Article 1-16:
The UNION shall have the right to place material in the mailboxes of teachers and other bargaining unit members. Placement will be made by the school delegate or the school delegate’s designee. Material placed in mailboxes shall be restricted to official material supplied by the UNION or material signed by the school delegate. [Emphasis is mine.]
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 8:05 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
As teachers we have control over one thing, who will be our next Union president. From my conversations with fellow teachers, all are ready for a change. Enough is enough!
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 8:19 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
doesn't the dlegate or designee need to tell/ inform the principal BEFORE they put the stuff in? And the principal is to have a copy no?
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 8:36 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
The Agreement merely requires that whatever information is distributed to member mailboxes also be distributed to the Principal's mailbox. That's it. No permission needed, no advance notice required.
Now that I think about it, the Agreement does not specify whether the mailboxes to which it refers are physical or digital. It is possible that AUP unacceptable use #20 violates the contract. Interesting. Danny, what do you think?
Now that I think about it, the Agreement does not specify whether the mailboxes to which it refers are physical or digital. It is possible that AUP unacceptable use #20 violates the contract. Interesting. Danny, what do you think?
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 10:27 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
The instructors of these classes are not CPS employees, but IVHS is a vendor with CPS. Up until this June, it was run at IMSA out of Aurora. Starting this year it is now VHS and is administrated from Peoria. Lots of CPS kids take these classes. Cell phones, blackboard, eluminate, oh my!
Are those instructors exempt from this lates bogusity?
Are those instructors exempt from this lates bogusity?
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 10:49 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
The AUP "applies to all Board employees, officers, temporary employees, interns, vendors, consultants,
contractors and authorized agents and volunteers."
Blackboard and Elluminate are pretty obviously in violation of the AUP. They clearly fall outside of the CPS Network.
The CPS Network "refers to the infrastructure used to transmit, store and review data over an electronic medium and includes, but is not limited to, the CPS E-mail system(s), collaboration systems, databases, information systems such as IMPACT and CPS@Work, internet service, the CPS intranet system and CPS mainframe systems, whether the system is owned or contracted."
contractors and authorized agents and volunteers."
Blackboard and Elluminate are pretty obviously in violation of the AUP. They clearly fall outside of the CPS Network.
The CPS Network "refers to the infrastructure used to transmit, store and review data over an electronic medium and includes, but is not limited to, the CPS E-mail system(s), collaboration systems, databases, information systems such as IMPACT and CPS@Work, internet service, the CPS intranet system and CPS mainframe systems, whether the system is owned or contracted."
Tue Aug 11, 2009 at 11:11 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
I heard writing notes on students' papers will also be banned. After all, all sorts of subversive messages could be passed around and without any board monitoring.
On the first day of school, we will be passed out a bunch of rubber stamps with set phrases like "Children First" and "Preach, Smack and Illuminate" or whatever the latest newspeak is an MP3 full of acceptable phrases recorded by a board bureaucrat with better vocal skills. (My lisp is simply unacceptable.)
On the first day of school, we will be passed out a bunch of rubber stamps with set phrases like "Children First" and "Preach, Smack and Illuminate" or whatever the latest newspeak is an MP3 full of acceptable phrases recorded by a board bureaucrat with better vocal skills. (My lisp is simply unacceptable.)
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 1:32 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
"...The CPS Network is funded by taxpayers and I doubt they want to find out that those millions are being spent so that kids can play flash games and teachers can shop at target.com. Don't believe it? I have the screen captures to prove it..." (yesterday afternoon).
"I have the screen captures to prove it..."
Let's copy and paste that one more time:
"I have the screen captures to prove it..."
This was the first post from "bento" yesterday, followed by some "bento the troll..." nonsense.
The purpose of any PURPLE PAPER CLIP rule is to spread fear, and it's already showing here. Before successive generations of administrations abolished it, the First Amendment case law discussed those actions by government that caused a "chilling effect" on freedom of speech (press; assembly; and petition -- I never heard of any "chilling" cases in religion, but could have missed them).
This entire thread is an example of the "chilling effect" of a government activity. The "bento" post (created in less than 60 seconds I'm sure) just adds to the chill for sure.
My earlier posting here was partly an "I told you so...." because we did.
Now the question is the same as it was ten or 25 years ago: Who is going to organize, stand up, and fight against the tyrants and the tyranny? Not how extensively bad all this is. That can easily be documented.
At each iteration of Tyranny 1.0 (and beyond) it's less and less about words and more and more about what you are going to do. I'll be at the CORE meeting at Manny's Deli later today, and will begin updating substancenews.net now that vacation time is definitely over. (Sorry, Track E friends).
Meanwhile, somebody dig "bento" out of her hole so we can do a little justice on her in real time.
"I have the screen captures to prove it..."
Let's copy and paste that one more time:
"I have the screen captures to prove it..."
This was the first post from "bento" yesterday, followed by some "bento the troll..." nonsense.
The purpose of any PURPLE PAPER CLIP rule is to spread fear, and it's already showing here. Before successive generations of administrations abolished it, the First Amendment case law discussed those actions by government that caused a "chilling effect" on freedom of speech (press; assembly; and petition -- I never heard of any "chilling" cases in religion, but could have missed them).
This entire thread is an example of the "chilling effect" of a government activity. The "bento" post (created in less than 60 seconds I'm sure) just adds to the chill for sure.
My earlier posting here was partly an "I told you so...." because we did.
Now the question is the same as it was ten or 25 years ago: Who is going to organize, stand up, and fight against the tyrants and the tyranny? Not how extensively bad all this is. That can easily be documented.
At each iteration of Tyranny 1.0 (and beyond) it's less and less about words and more and more about what you are going to do. I'll be at the CORE meeting at Manny's Deli later today, and will begin updating substancenews.net now that vacation time is definitely over. (Sorry, Track E friends).
Meanwhile, somebody dig "bento" out of her hole so we can do a little justice on her in real time.
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 4:21 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
There are many options, as creative people know.
We've now completed all of the changes necessary to guarantee both Web and print continuation of Substance. Despite all the work, we've also surpassed one million hits since we launched the new formats for the record in January 2009.
As this cycle grows in the fact of tyranny, that will doubtless expand.
And if CPS (in any of its iterations, on the Web or on line) tries to block Substance or either or out sites (the back issues going to the infamous CASE litigation are still at substancenews.com), we're ready to discuss the First Amendment.
This discussion has been ongoing with CPS again for the unpteenth time since we won our first case in 1980 (Substitutes United for Better School v. Rother et. al, which is still precedent on the sale of print newspapers in CPS schools).
I would suggest that many people here consider getting together to demand those paragons of civic virtue from the CTU to the ACLU be asked to support some actions against these censorships.
But I won't hold my breath or be optimistic. Since the ACLU sold us out ten years ago on the CASE case (and back in the day I was a card carrying ACLU member and member of the Illinois board, for a time), it's been clear that both ACLU and CTU stand, for the most part, for "part of the problem, not part of the solution."
The rights you keep are the ones for which you fight.
We've now completed all of the changes necessary to guarantee both Web and print continuation of Substance. Despite all the work, we've also surpassed one million hits since we launched the new formats for the record in January 2009.
As this cycle grows in the fact of tyranny, that will doubtless expand.
And if CPS (in any of its iterations, on the Web or on line) tries to block Substance or either or out sites (the back issues going to the infamous CASE litigation are still at substancenews.com), we're ready to discuss the First Amendment.
This discussion has been ongoing with CPS again for the unpteenth time since we won our first case in 1980 (Substitutes United for Better School v. Rother et. al, which is still precedent on the sale of print newspapers in CPS schools).
I would suggest that many people here consider getting together to demand those paragons of civic virtue from the CTU to the ACLU be asked to support some actions against these censorships.
But I won't hold my breath or be optimistic. Since the ACLU sold us out ten years ago on the CASE case (and back in the day I was a card carrying ACLU member and member of the Illinois board, for a time), it's been clear that both ACLU and CTU stand, for the most part, for "part of the problem, not part of the solution."
The rights you keep are the ones for which you fight.
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 7:31 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Creepy
I commented on this Bento yesterday. While it is technically possible
To monitor another, or large group of computers from one location
That puts the person doing the observation in a very difficult position.
Ease dropping on someone is creepy enough but the consequences
You face for what you might find can be devastating. What if this Bento
was watching an IEP being prepared? Did Bento read anyone’s E-Mail?
What would Bento do if someone found out what was going on?
That’s why I thing there is no Bento. If in fact the person who wrote really
keeps screen captures of personal communications with Target .com
Wouldn’t that include credit card numbers? I hope this is just somebody venting.
I commented on this Bento yesterday. While it is technically possible
To monitor another, or large group of computers from one location
That puts the person doing the observation in a very difficult position.
Ease dropping on someone is creepy enough but the consequences
You face for what you might find can be devastating. What if this Bento
was watching an IEP being prepared? Did Bento read anyone’s E-Mail?
What would Bento do if someone found out what was going on?
That’s why I thing there is no Bento. If in fact the person who wrote really
keeps screen captures of personal communications with Target .com
Wouldn’t that include credit card numbers? I hope this is just somebody venting.
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 8:21 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
What I'm struck by is how those justifying the policy are using typical anti-teacher talk. Many of the teachers who I work with at Julian are at the school so much that I hope they are shopping online at Target.
I have not had time to go clothes shopping in 3 years and quite frankly, there are days it shows. Teaching is an all consuming profession, and central office has the choice of our time being consumed by helping students or by hurdling dadaist policy.
I don't think it's necessary to suggest which of those is currently prioritized.
After years, of being taught by central office, "Policy First, Students Last", it is not too surprising that proud, expert, dedicated teachers begin to burn out. Look at this very thread--some of the teachers who say they are being forced to protect their jobs may be saying so to highlight how they feel about the policy.
But is there any doubt that this policy will hurt the instruction in classrooms on a district level?
The new stimulus package is supposed to support one of the top public priorities of our administration--teacher talent development and retention. Here's an idea, more support and interaction and less draconian monitoring.
Board Bureaucrats, if this message makes you want to monitor me, please look in the mirror. You are hurting children.
I have not had time to go clothes shopping in 3 years and quite frankly, there are days it shows. Teaching is an all consuming profession, and central office has the choice of our time being consumed by helping students or by hurdling dadaist policy.
I don't think it's necessary to suggest which of those is currently prioritized.
After years, of being taught by central office, "Policy First, Students Last", it is not too surprising that proud, expert, dedicated teachers begin to burn out. Look at this very thread--some of the teachers who say they are being forced to protect their jobs may be saying so to highlight how they feel about the policy.
But is there any doubt that this policy will hurt the instruction in classrooms on a district level?
The new stimulus package is supposed to support one of the top public priorities of our administration--teacher talent development and retention. Here's an idea, more support and interaction and less draconian monitoring.
Board Bureaucrats, if this message makes you want to monitor me, please look in the mirror. You are hurting children.
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 8:31 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
I find the policy especially interesting in light of the Q&A with Huberman also found on this site. There is an entire section in the interview dedicated to technology in the schools and classrooms, using technology to reach students, and to create a compelling classroom environment. The programs he describes are implausible for two reasons:
1) the technology is not available to teachers in their classrooms (how do science teachers have students "virtually" mix chemicals if they have no computer access)
2) the programs and ideas he expounds on are now not allowed under the AUP.
CPS is creating policies that dismantles the ideas it puts forward while hindering teachers even further. Stimulating class environments simply do not happen in a crowded, over heated room with battered desks and a stained white board as the only resources available for instruction.
Beyond technology, Huberman speaks of teacher retention and recruitment. I would think it would be self-explanatory as to why smart, effective teachers do not want to work in a system that year after year crushes their ideas and sets up unnecessary obstacles to interactive learning.
1) the technology is not available to teachers in their classrooms (how do science teachers have students "virtually" mix chemicals if they have no computer access)
2) the programs and ideas he expounds on are now not allowed under the AUP.
CPS is creating policies that dismantles the ideas it puts forward while hindering teachers even further. Stimulating class environments simply do not happen in a crowded, over heated room with battered desks and a stained white board as the only resources available for instruction.
Beyond technology, Huberman speaks of teacher retention and recruitment. I would think it would be self-explanatory as to why smart, effective teachers do not want to work in a system that year after year crushes their ideas and sets up unnecessary obstacles to interactive learning.
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 8:34 AM
Using Twitter
I use Twitter for a very narrow purpose, an additional method of reminding my students about assignments, due dates, and other events. I also post links to news articles I use in my weekly current events quizzes. It is not a primary method of communication but one I stated experimenting with while working on my Master's project in e-learning.
One issue is that people fall in love with a technology and try to fit it to an educational purpose. Not every technology is useful for the classroom. CPS on the other hand is trying to exercise an Orwellian level of control over our use of technology.
Innovation happens when teachers are able to freely experiment and try new things. This policy will only guarantee stagnation and hold us back from trying to be 21st century educators.
Guess who suffers?
One issue is that people fall in love with a technology and try to fit it to an educational purpose. Not every technology is useful for the classroom. CPS on the other hand is trying to exercise an Orwellian level of control over our use of technology.
Innovation happens when teachers are able to freely experiment and try new things. This policy will only guarantee stagnation and hold us back from trying to be 21st century educators.
Guess who suffers?
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 8:57 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
I teach a very demanding subject and have always given students my cell number - I don't have a land line. What are my students supposed to do if they have trouble with homework? Not do it? This is always a problem. I'd rather them call me so we can figure it out than not do the work. That puts me behind in what I plan to teach the next day.
GENIUSES - Have these guys never heard of throwing the baby out with the bathwater? I don't think these "policies" will pass muster constitutionally.
GENIUSES - Have these guys never heard of throwing the baby out with the bathwater? I don't think these "policies" will pass muster constitutionally.
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 9:53 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
You should see who is following CPSBacktoSchool..
bugmebug - Jack Bolender
Hackers in America take control of 8million medical records and ransom it for $10,000,000
Abbey_Hartley_1 - Abbey Hartley
Go check out my private pics http://tinyurl.com/r53l5w (Likely NSFW)
bugmebug - Jack Bolender
Hackers in America take control of 8million medical records and ransom it for $10,000,000
Abbey_Hartley_1 - Abbey Hartley
Go check out my private pics http://tinyurl.com/r53l5w (Likely NSFW)
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 9:57 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Hey Bob,
A little clarity on what I am talking about.
"I commented on this Bento yesterday. While it is technically possible To monitor another, or large group of computers from one location That puts the person doing the observation in a very difficult position."
Not at all. There are numerous programs out there for the monitoring of computer lab usage. here, here and here are pretty popular ones in CPS. They are used in schools around the world by teachers who care about what their students are doing online. I have had parents call angry because they found their children on MySpace when they should have been working on school work. Yes that can be monitored by just accessing your child's page, it tells you they are on. Guess who the parent held accountable for that. Not the kid, but the teacher. The programs show you in real time what the user is doing. It lets you take remote control of their machine, lock it out, shut it down, communicate through chat or demonstrate something to them. You can also take screen captures with time and date stamps. This is useful when a parent is contacted and wants proof. If you don't see the significance of this type of software then I am sorry.
" Ease dropping on someone is creepy enough but the consequences you face for what you might find can be devastating. What if this Bento was watching an IEP being prepared? Did Bento read anyone’s E-Mail? What would Bento do if someone found out what was going on?
That’s why I thing there is no Bento. If in fact the person who wrote really keeps screen captures of personal communications with Target .com. Wouldn’t that include credit card numbers? I hope this is just somebody venting."
In case you might have forgotten you don't have the right to do what you want on a work computer or over the your employers network. This isn't something that is unique to CPS this happens all over the world in education, the government and corporate America. The rules in place are there to protect you as well. If you place your credit card over a large WAN like CPS anyone within the network can hack it. Besides, do you know where your credit card goes when you hand it to a waiter at a restaurant? It is more common for your information to be stolen there than over the internet. It is pretty clear that you should not be using your work computer for non-work things...so why take the risk? You may not like that someone is monitoring the network but it is their network and within their right to monitor what goes through it. As for IEP's if you want to watch an IEP being prepared go stand over someone shoulders. I don't quite understand how that applies to computer lab monitoring and maintenance, which is what I am talking about.
A little clarity on what I am talking about.
"I commented on this Bento yesterday. While it is technically possible To monitor another, or large group of computers from one location That puts the person doing the observation in a very difficult position."
Not at all. There are numerous programs out there for the monitoring of computer lab usage. here, here and here are pretty popular ones in CPS. They are used in schools around the world by teachers who care about what their students are doing online. I have had parents call angry because they found their children on MySpace when they should have been working on school work. Yes that can be monitored by just accessing your child's page, it tells you they are on. Guess who the parent held accountable for that. Not the kid, but the teacher. The programs show you in real time what the user is doing. It lets you take remote control of their machine, lock it out, shut it down, communicate through chat or demonstrate something to them. You can also take screen captures with time and date stamps. This is useful when a parent is contacted and wants proof. If you don't see the significance of this type of software then I am sorry.
" Ease dropping on someone is creepy enough but the consequences you face for what you might find can be devastating. What if this Bento was watching an IEP being prepared? Did Bento read anyone’s E-Mail? What would Bento do if someone found out what was going on?
That’s why I thing there is no Bento. If in fact the person who wrote really keeps screen captures of personal communications with Target .com. Wouldn’t that include credit card numbers? I hope this is just somebody venting."
In case you might have forgotten you don't have the right to do what you want on a work computer or over the your employers network. This isn't something that is unique to CPS this happens all over the world in education, the government and corporate America. The rules in place are there to protect you as well. If you place your credit card over a large WAN like CPS anyone within the network can hack it. Besides, do you know where your credit card goes when you hand it to a waiter at a restaurant? It is more common for your information to be stolen there than over the internet. It is pretty clear that you should not be using your work computer for non-work things...so why take the risk? You may not like that someone is monitoring the network but it is their network and within their right to monitor what goes through it. As for IEP's if you want to watch an IEP being prepared go stand over someone shoulders. I don't quite understand how that applies to computer lab monitoring and maintenance, which is what I am talking about.
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 9:58 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Who is the vendor for this disastrous e-IEP?
Who at CPS gave the apporval for this newest waste of monies?
Where is the CTU?
Where is OSS?
Will ISBE step in when we are more out of compliance than usual?
Who at CPS gave the apporval for this newest waste of monies?
Where is the CTU?
Where is OSS?
Will ISBE step in when we are more out of compliance than usual?
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 11:10 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Not sure if this will help, but Mary McGuire told me to send her questions/concerns regarding this matter. She said to have others send her questions/concerns as well. If you don't want to send her something and want me to do it, place the question/concern on here or send it to forestcop1972@yahoo.com
Below is her email, not certain what will come out of this. Hope it is something good.
marymcguire@ctulocal1.com
Below is her email, not certain what will come out of this. Hope it is something good.
marymcguire@ctulocal1.com
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 11:26 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Kids attack digital divide
Target parents in Chicago, where 25% don't use Net
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-digital-divide-city-zone-12-aug12,0,5422471.story
Target parents in Chicago, where 25% don't use Net
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-digital-divide-city-zone-12-aug12,0,5422471.story
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 11:26 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
I've been waiting 2 weeks to hear back from Ms. McGuire on matters surrounding a major issue. Forgive me for having little faith that anything will come of e-mailing the CTU.
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 11:33 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Very Creepy
Bento thank you for your explanation. Personally I don’t have time to
watch all my computers. I am always otherwise engaged in helping
students ,teachers, administrators, parents ect. Must be nice to be able to
monitor a room from one location. Who monitors you?
I know I don’t own the network but I sure as hell help pay for it like
every other taxpayer. You can look at whatever you like but keeping
a downloaded screen shot of an adult engaged in personal business,
or do you ban people from the lab during lunch, is very creepy.
Turn the offending teacher in to the proper authorities for misuse.
The screen shot would be evidence. I cannot believe you are a real person
But like I said, and you didn’t answer, have you ever saved a credit
card number on a screen capture? Stand over a SPED teachers shoulder while
They are filling out an IEP and let me know what they say.
Bento thank you for your explanation. Personally I don’t have time to
watch all my computers. I am always otherwise engaged in helping
students ,teachers, administrators, parents ect. Must be nice to be able to
monitor a room from one location. Who monitors you?
I know I don’t own the network but I sure as hell help pay for it like
every other taxpayer. You can look at whatever you like but keeping
a downloaded screen shot of an adult engaged in personal business,
or do you ban people from the lab during lunch, is very creepy.
Turn the offending teacher in to the proper authorities for misuse.
The screen shot would be evidence. I cannot believe you are a real person
But like I said, and you didn’t answer, have you ever saved a credit
card number on a screen capture? Stand over a SPED teachers shoulder while
They are filling out an IEP and let me know what they say.
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 11:35 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Why didn't the CTU special education committeee address this useless e-IEP and the J-Car ruling-it was not mentioned in their end of the year summary.
Does anyone know how CPS gets out of following the new J-CAR rules whereas the rest of the school districts in Illinois have spent two years preparing their teachers and parents for these changes?
I am really appalled at the illegal manuevers of CPS when it comes to special eduaction prograsm. Yes, they our special education students count for AYP but not ISAT and most principals are too overwhelmed/unprepared to fight OSS.
How large can the inclusion caseloads get before someone files due process or a lawsuit? The data is all electrronic and very easy to monitor but who is monitoring? Corey H. ?
Does anyone know how CPS gets out of following the new J-CAR rules whereas the rest of the school districts in Illinois have spent two years preparing their teachers and parents for these changes?
I am really appalled at the illegal manuevers of CPS when it comes to special eduaction prograsm. Yes, they our special education students count for AYP but not ISAT and most principals are too overwhelmed/unprepared to fight OSS.
How large can the inclusion caseloads get before someone files due process or a lawsuit? The data is all electrronic and very easy to monitor but who is monitoring? Corey H. ?
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 12:06 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Bob,
My point isn't that teachers are using work computers for personal business. They aren't allowed to anyway. My point was that they are not properly monitoring students in the lab. Do I have access to teachers credit card numbers? No. Do I want it? No.
My main target is the students. If large numbers of them are not working then there is a problem in the classroom and the principal wants to know about it. If there are a handful not on task and the teacher doesn't know they would like to know and I tell them. I don't have the time to monitor all the time but I do make the time when asked by the Principal and the teachers. The more eyes you have on the problem the more you can do to eliminate it. All of the teachers in the building love the monitoring software and are eager to use it and learn how to use it. I am molding them to be very tech savvy. As a TechCo that is my job.
If you are a teacher and are using a lab of 30 computers with 30 students and you feel the best use of that time is to do your own personal business and not to watch the kids who happen to be doing their own personal business than that is bad. I see it way too often. Call it creepy if you want but it is very important to protect the integrity of the network. If someone brings in a virus and it happens regularly then it can and has crashed the system. Monitoring the network through firewalls, etc keeps you using Impact, Gradebook and so on. If you introduced a virus in to the system and crashed Impact and could no longer use it who would you blame? CPS, of course. This is besides the point.
I answer directly to my Principal as does everyone in the school and he expects that students and teachers do their work. The students are aware they are being monitored as do the teachers.
Guess what I have also been asked by the Principal to see past emails sent by particular employees using work email. I don't have the ability to get that info but CPS does. Don't like it? Guess what Google, Yahoo and the others all keep your emails on file. If the FBI wanted to get info on you they can get into your Yahoo account and take it down. You think any electronic information passed over the web is secure? Google tracks everything you do when you use their site. Where do you think the instant ads come from?
As far as IEP's go I still don't understand your point. I have nothing to do with IEP's. I have no interest in them. But I have seen teachers leave physical copies in copiers and classrooms, even share them with students. I have yet to see the mysterious E-IEP.
My point isn't that teachers are using work computers for personal business. They aren't allowed to anyway. My point was that they are not properly monitoring students in the lab. Do I have access to teachers credit card numbers? No. Do I want it? No.
My main target is the students. If large numbers of them are not working then there is a problem in the classroom and the principal wants to know about it. If there are a handful not on task and the teacher doesn't know they would like to know and I tell them. I don't have the time to monitor all the time but I do make the time when asked by the Principal and the teachers. The more eyes you have on the problem the more you can do to eliminate it. All of the teachers in the building love the monitoring software and are eager to use it and learn how to use it. I am molding them to be very tech savvy. As a TechCo that is my job.
If you are a teacher and are using a lab of 30 computers with 30 students and you feel the best use of that time is to do your own personal business and not to watch the kids who happen to be doing their own personal business than that is bad. I see it way too often. Call it creepy if you want but it is very important to protect the integrity of the network. If someone brings in a virus and it happens regularly then it can and has crashed the system. Monitoring the network through firewalls, etc keeps you using Impact, Gradebook and so on. If you introduced a virus in to the system and crashed Impact and could no longer use it who would you blame? CPS, of course. This is besides the point.
I answer directly to my Principal as does everyone in the school and he expects that students and teachers do their work. The students are aware they are being monitored as do the teachers.
Guess what I have also been asked by the Principal to see past emails sent by particular employees using work email. I don't have the ability to get that info but CPS does. Don't like it? Guess what Google, Yahoo and the others all keep your emails on file. If the FBI wanted to get info on you they can get into your Yahoo account and take it down. You think any electronic information passed over the web is secure? Google tracks everything you do when you use their site. Where do you think the instant ads come from?
As far as IEP's go I still don't understand your point. I have nothing to do with IEP's. I have no interest in them. But I have seen teachers leave physical copies in copiers and classrooms, even share them with students. I have yet to see the mysterious E-IEP.
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 1:11 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
The CTU wants to Control of ALL MAILBOXES. The Chicago Teacher Union leadership haas been ineffective in the negotiation of Contract,organizing charter schools,supperessing the loss of jobs and the handling of day to day crises. The word is out and they want to keep it a secert.
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 1:46 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
I'm not even going to get into the social media conversation, but I have to note that in 10 years of reporting on CPS and setting foot in large numbers of schools, I've been in one elementary school (Harold Washington Elem on the far South Side) where teachers had working landline phones in their classroom and could use them to call parents. In just six weeks of teaching at Social Justice HS three years ago I would have been lost without my cell phone as a means to stay in contact with parents.
I suspect the prohibition probably has to do with teacher-student cell phone communication and the potential for improper behavior. But it's a huge overreaction. Unless CPS can manage to get a working phone in every single classroom (and I'll believe that when I see it), this hamstrings teachers in a very basic way.
I suspect the prohibition probably has to do with teacher-student cell phone communication and the potential for improper behavior. But it's a huge overreaction. Unless CPS can manage to get a working phone in every single classroom (and I'll believe that when I see it), this hamstrings teachers in a very basic way.
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 2:26 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Bento quit the teacher bashing. The generalization is troll like as others have mentioned by your behavior.
Usually in a lab, just like a classroom, the tech prep teachers know who is who. There are ways to monitor student performance without sitting on ones butt! I use a checklist, short anecdotal notes, student share outs at the end of the lesson, status of class before or after and enter and exit slips. I have great participation from my middle school teachers. Since we are on the same page, they even stay to help when they can. I also talk with students and get information on some some of the dynamics between students that makes for less than stellar performance.
Quit bashing teachers and work with them!
Usually in a lab, just like a classroom, the tech prep teachers know who is who. There are ways to monitor student performance without sitting on ones butt! I use a checklist, short anecdotal notes, student share outs at the end of the lesson, status of class before or after and enter and exit slips. I have great participation from my middle school teachers. Since we are on the same page, they even stay to help when they can. I also talk with students and get information on some some of the dynamics between students that makes for less than stellar performance.
Quit bashing teachers and work with them!
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 2:50 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Yes world, CPS Top managers do things half *ssed! CPS was to bring in state of the art Voice over IP phones into the schools. Yes and No! It is a hybrid system. The great minds decided to go half way and not spend the money to bring phones in every classroom with true Voice over IP. Again, if the priority was direct communication with parents, there would be phones in every classroom.
First Class is an abomination to the intellect. The paces that one has to go to and back and forth and back, is ludicrous. The Leaders of ITS, are First Class mental midgets. Huberman, with your great business acumen, do find First Class as worthy of the considerable time necessary to do the most simple things.
If Huberman was as technology savvy and hip as he likes to portray himself, he would be in Mountain View, California talking with Google on trying to see what what they could do for CPS. Sorry, if I didn't mention Microsoft, but I am still a bit woozy from using that half baked poor excuse for a web based program called Web Outlook. From Web Outlook to First Class... Great technological leap! Yes Chicago, Our top managers use your tax dollars to buy third rate crap!
First Class is an abomination to the intellect. The paces that one has to go to and back and forth and back, is ludicrous. The Leaders of ITS, are First Class mental midgets. Huberman, with your great business acumen, do find First Class as worthy of the considerable time necessary to do the most simple things.
If Huberman was as technology savvy and hip as he likes to portray himself, he would be in Mountain View, California talking with Google on trying to see what what they could do for CPS. Sorry, if I didn't mention Microsoft, but I am still a bit woozy from using that half baked poor excuse for a web based program called Web Outlook. From Web Outlook to First Class... Great technological leap! Yes Chicago, Our top managers use your tax dollars to buy third rate crap!
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 3:17 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
we have the new mitel system in our school--what a mess that is. if the phone system is down NONE of our Iternet works- NONE. We cannot get the voicemail, it is complicated to use, the trainer rushed through it so fast, we did not understand a word she said and you cannot even hear the person on the other end, because the volume control is so poor. And you have to set the volume control with EACH phone call, in or out! This system is a mess and a waste of $.
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 3:26 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
CPS put this whole new phone system and phone equipment throughout the school building (three floors) last year; lots of noise, dust, holes through the concrete floors/walls, and guess what? CPS closed the school this year. How many teachers salaries or pension contributions were wasted with this? so sad
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 4:59 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
I saw a Board report on who got the contract to develop the IEP. But I can not locate it. I had to have been in 2006 or 2007.
Rod
Rod
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 9:39 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Regarding electronic iep: Again a firm mandate given from the geniuses from above who don't eat their own dog food. That is a common geek term meaning that they don't use their own software. It is important that we out the sins of the CPS Top administrators who mandate without giving the folks in the trenches decent tools to work with. These clowns set the tone system wide.
Wed Aug 12, 2009 at 9:46 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Yes, they should be fired and whomever in CPS/OSS who approved this travesty should be fired! or let them do my 20 IEPS-worse punishment than terminiation.
Thu Aug 13, 2009 at 4:49 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Ron needs to cut the fat! The real fat not media spinning.
CPS wastes millions of dollars-look at the useless IEP and useless Professional Development when inept "trainers" make $500.00 per day.
How much money does CPS lose from unfilled special education positions-the state will only reimburse IF the teacher is certified.
How much is it costing CPS to pay U of C for a mentoring program and how is this justified when we had a good program and the mentors received a nominal stipend-now we have U of C mentors with a whopping 5-6 years experience who will run in and out of schools as fast as a repo man-what a joke!
CPS wastes millions of dollars-look at the useless IEP and useless Professional Development when inept "trainers" make $500.00 per day.
How much money does CPS lose from unfilled special education positions-the state will only reimburse IF the teacher is certified.
How much is it costing CPS to pay U of C for a mentoring program and how is this justified when we had a good program and the mentors received a nominal stipend-now we have U of C mentors with a whopping 5-6 years experience who will run in and out of schools as fast as a repo man-what a joke!
Thu Aug 13, 2009 at 5:01 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
hey y'all. Our principal went to a meeting in late July and was introduced to CPS U-niversity. Wait until you see how much more work you now have to do just to get into a class, take the class and prove you were in the class. You even have to do this now for IN-HOUSE PD. There is a core group of teachers who have to keep up with this program and we do NOT get paid to do this, no sub, no extra time--no--no payment. When are we to do this during instructional time or prep time? We have no tech person, our assistant principal tis a eacher and we do not get an lit or math lead teacher. We are so busy with IMPACT and gradebk that does not work and firstcls which is a nightmare, they cant get payroll right and now we are responsible for getting all this into the CPS peoplesoft DB?! Soft is right! I smell grievance here.
Fri Aug 14, 2009 at 7:31 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Who has the contract for the new e-IEP?
How much is U of C receiving for thier "smash and grab" mentoring program?
How much is U of C receiving for thier "smash and grab" mentoring program?
Fri Aug 14, 2009 at 9:56 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
IEP
During the summer I took the training for the new electronic IEP.
I am not a SPED teacher but I do monitor over 30 computers so
I better learn how it works. Well the instructor was great, but
The program was cumbersome, and will tie up a whole lot of
computer time. It is web based ,like IMPACT.
Of even more concern to SPED teachers is our new law, Public Act 96-187.
During the summer I took the training for the new electronic IEP.
I am not a SPED teacher but I do monitor over 30 computers so
I better learn how it works. Well the instructor was great, but
The program was cumbersome, and will tie up a whole lot of
computer time. It is web based ,like IMPACT.
Of even more concern to SPED teachers is our new law, Public Act 96-187.
Fri Aug 14, 2009 at 12:14 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Like Duncan, Huberman is putting mandates on top of mandates on teachers without providing extra time providing archaic or buggy online systems that instead of cutting time are time wasters. As a Technocrat, Huberman should know that providing archaic online student information systems and grading systems from two different vendors is a time waster. Why don't we have one modern SIS/Gradebook system instead ot two third rate programs? It makes no sense. CPS could have upgraded to Pearson's PowerSchool 6 or something comparable and are seen as best of breed online systems. Huberman has not added one more hour of instructional time, yet wants teachers to do more on these fourth rate systems. Huberman do it right or not at all! If Huberman has seen these systems, can he ask himself if these systems justify the cost of maintaining. He can take down First Class as well. Who knows who has the contract and cost for each program?
Fri Aug 14, 2009 at 4:00 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
but I think this is a brilliant strategy by the board to have the sudden power to dismiss high paid or "troublemaking" teachers. If one "acts badly" they get a resolution warning. A second incident - not even related to the first incident calls for dismissal. They can - as someone said above - see EXACTLY what you do online once you have logged in.
Like you have NEVER looked at eBay? or paid a bill? even once? even on your free period, it's not allowed. So, after just one accusation, they pull your online history during work hours. GONE. A teacher at my school got one of these warnings because a student claimed the teacher called him a name. She could not prove she did not do it. And the union can't do a thing about it.
Like you have NEVER looked at eBay? or paid a bill? even once? even on your free period, it's not allowed. So, after just one accusation, they pull your online history during work hours. GONE. A teacher at my school got one of these warnings because a student claimed the teacher called him a name. She could not prove she did not do it. And the union can't do a thing about it.
Fri Aug 14, 2009 at 5:23 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
If we had arbitration rights for all disciplinay actions. how about working in an atmoshere free from intimidation and discrimination,assured of job security and deriving satisfaction from earning and working condition. Professional dignity that is all we want. After I swipe in with Mr.Kronos.
Fri Aug 14, 2009 at 7:00 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Have you all actually read the AUP?
Personal use of limited duration that falls within acceptable use of the CPS Network and CPS Resources is allowed. For instance, it would be well within the guidelines of the AUP to E-Bay away while on your lunch period. During class or prep time? That's a different story.
Article V.
B. Personal Use. Use of CPS Network and Computer Resources is intended for Board business, with limited personal use permitted. Such personal use must in all circumstances comply with the unacceptable use and conduct provisions in this policy, and must not result in costs to the Board, cause legal action against or cause embarrassment to the Board. Such use must also be appropriate as to duration and not interfere with the User’s duties and the Board’s business demands.
Personal use of limited duration that falls within acceptable use of the CPS Network and CPS Resources is allowed. For instance, it would be well within the guidelines of the AUP to E-Bay away while on your lunch period. During class or prep time? That's a different story.
Article V.
B. Personal Use. Use of CPS Network and Computer Resources is intended for Board business, with limited personal use permitted. Such personal use must in all circumstances comply with the unacceptable use and conduct provisions in this policy, and must not result in costs to the Board, cause legal action against or cause embarrassment to the Board. Such use must also be appropriate as to duration and not interfere with the User’s duties and the Board’s business demands.
Fri Aug 14, 2009 at 7:24 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
ebay what?--maybe what you are bidding on CPS does not like.
Teachers here Mr. Ebay are talking about much more than this--getting and keping in touch with students is very important. This policy condemed this.
Teachers here Mr. Ebay are talking about much more than this--getting and keping in touch with students is very important. This policy condemed this.
Fri Aug 14, 2009 at 7:49 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Calm down. You talk like you are jumping up and down and waving your finger around. And why do you assume it's a man? Now, THAT'S interesting! Maybe you should talk about that, or maybe see someone.
Fri Aug 14, 2009 at 7:56 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Yup it is about CPS and Huberman laying pure crap on CPS teachers, Again!
Fri Aug 14, 2009 at 8:27 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Maybe Mr. Huberman should be deluged with requests for the use of third-party systems to contact and interact with students via class blog, text messages, and cell phones:
Users may not circumvent the requirements of this policy or other Board policies by using a third-party system to communicate when a similar system is otherwise available on the CPS Network. To the extent that a particular system is not available on the CPS Network, User’s use of a third-party system is subject to written approval by the Office of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). If approved, such use is subject the requirements of this policy.
Users may not circumvent the requirements of this policy or other Board policies by using a third-party system to communicate when a similar system is otherwise available on the CPS Network. To the extent that a particular system is not available on the CPS Network, User’s use of a third-party system is subject to written approval by the Office of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). If approved, such use is subject the requirements of this policy.
Fri Aug 14, 2009 at 8:58 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Can you help me decipher? Does this mean IVHS students CAN use blackboard and can talk to teachers on cell phones?
Fri Aug 14, 2009 at 9:37 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
has to be CPS issued in order to get calls and to call students.
Fri Aug 14, 2009 at 10:12 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Can you help me decipher? Does this mean IVHS students CAN use blackboard and can talk to teachers on cell phones?
Blackboard use, Elluminate use, and cell phone contact between teachers and students violates the AUP.
However, Mr. Huberman may provide written approval in support of such interaction upon request. I'm sure the IVHS folk will ask Mr. Huberman and I can't imagine why he would turn them down.
Blackboard use, Elluminate use, and cell phone contact between teachers and students violates the AUP.
However, Mr. Huberman may provide written approval in support of such interaction upon request. I'm sure the IVHS folk will ask Mr. Huberman and I can't imagine why he would turn them down.
Sat Aug 15, 2009 at 3:59 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
Anyone who still believes that Ron Huberman is a "technocrat" should re-examine what you think that term means. Like his two predecessors, Ron Huberman is a political appointee, beholden and mentored by Richard M. Daley, mayor of Chicago.
As many people both at Clark St. and in "the field" have already noticed, Huberman's knowledge and understanding of anything more complex that TrueBasic or the old "object oriented programmings" kindergartens of a decade ago does not exist.
His budgetary analysis and understanding are worse than either of his predecessors (and given Arne Duncan's arrogant ignorance in that regard, that's a mouthful).
The man is a political commissar. All the hype (Chicago magazine; Chicago Tonight; blah, blah, blah) is just that — hype. He's packed with as many stock clichés as Arne Duncan was, albeit of a different kind. That edgy stare he gets in his eyes is cunning, but not based on knowledge of anything in particular.
And that MA from the University of Chicago? Have you checked to see what "standards" people going through the School of Social Service Administration actually have to know -- about math, statistics, accounting, auditing, budget, or any number of other realities?
When you can look back and say (sigh) that Paul Vallas knew and understood more than either of his two predecessors and that Arne Duncan was better informed than his predecessor, the very notion is breathtaking.
But that's the truth. Read that satiric document called the "Proposed Budget 2009-2010" or any of the recent edicts from the CEO level and ask yourself how any self-respecting "technocrat" could have let that thingy go through with his name on it.
Only in a city where the babblings of the tyrant are treated with deference could this guy have been placed in power over a public school system. The creation of this commissar is the last and most cynical act of tyranny under Richard M. Daley and the Amendatory Act. Ironically, Huberman's praxis will make the case very very quickly for an end to mayoral control.
But, sadly, not before the last Debt Bomb he's planning to set off has put CPS in the same category as Lehman Brothers, and for many of the same arrogant ignorant reasons.
People should at least leave with their dignity intact, but there are already so many people trying to kiss this guy's mistletoe (to quote the first Daley) that it's unlikely.
See you at the budget hearings. Two things you can count on:
One, Mr. Technocrat won't be there to hear informed people dissect that mess he's pawning off (mostly, by keeping it out of the public's reach) as his first "proposed budget" and
Two, the Seven Dwarfs will neither be at the hearings to hear what the public is saying about the mess they are about to escalate, nor will they read the critiques people make, nor will they ask any questions in public about that $6.8 trillion they are already spending of our money.
Monday, Amundsen.
Tuesday, Marshall.
Wednesday, Black.
Sign in: 6:00 - 7:00.
Showtime: 7:00 each night.
As many people both at Clark St. and in "the field" have already noticed, Huberman's knowledge and understanding of anything more complex that TrueBasic or the old "object oriented programmings" kindergartens of a decade ago does not exist.
His budgetary analysis and understanding are worse than either of his predecessors (and given Arne Duncan's arrogant ignorance in that regard, that's a mouthful).
The man is a political commissar. All the hype (Chicago magazine; Chicago Tonight; blah, blah, blah) is just that — hype. He's packed with as many stock clichés as Arne Duncan was, albeit of a different kind. That edgy stare he gets in his eyes is cunning, but not based on knowledge of anything in particular.
And that MA from the University of Chicago? Have you checked to see what "standards" people going through the School of Social Service Administration actually have to know -- about math, statistics, accounting, auditing, budget, or any number of other realities?
When you can look back and say (sigh) that Paul Vallas knew and understood more than either of his two predecessors and that Arne Duncan was better informed than his predecessor, the very notion is breathtaking.
But that's the truth. Read that satiric document called the "Proposed Budget 2009-2010" or any of the recent edicts from the CEO level and ask yourself how any self-respecting "technocrat" could have let that thingy go through with his name on it.
Only in a city where the babblings of the tyrant are treated with deference could this guy have been placed in power over a public school system. The creation of this commissar is the last and most cynical act of tyranny under Richard M. Daley and the Amendatory Act. Ironically, Huberman's praxis will make the case very very quickly for an end to mayoral control.
But, sadly, not before the last Debt Bomb he's planning to set off has put CPS in the same category as Lehman Brothers, and for many of the same arrogant ignorant reasons.
People should at least leave with their dignity intact, but there are already so many people trying to kiss this guy's mistletoe (to quote the first Daley) that it's unlikely.
See you at the budget hearings. Two things you can count on:
One, Mr. Technocrat won't be there to hear informed people dissect that mess he's pawning off (mostly, by keeping it out of the public's reach) as his first "proposed budget" and
Two, the Seven Dwarfs will neither be at the hearings to hear what the public is saying about the mess they are about to escalate, nor will they read the critiques people make, nor will they ask any questions in public about that $6.8 trillion they are already spending of our money.
Monday, Amundsen.
Tuesday, Marshall.
Wednesday, Black.
Sign in: 6:00 - 7:00.
Showtime: 7:00 each night.
Sat Aug 15, 2009 at 4:18 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
I know I wrote $6.8 "trillion" in the above posting.
It was deliberate, when as you know we're talking about $6.8 billion dollars that CPS is proposing in the budget it's been spending since July 1.
But that was to get your attention.
Now for the Lehman Brothers question.
Why did the six members of the Chicago Board of Education who voted in favor of that $2.3 million Capital Development bonding on July 22 not ask -- in public -- how CPS can be borrowing all that new borrowing when CPS has just exploded its first debt bomb in the "Proposed Budget 2009-2010"?
And why in the face of a debt crisis (not a "pension crisis" like the official corporate media line goes, a "debt crisis" just like hammered housing) is CPS planning to double down on its already existing debt? Now? This year?
Only the same people who could lose $50 or $100 million of the children's money like Lehman Brothers (check out the investment income drop at CPS) on exotic nonsense could come up with an adrenaline and Red Bull juiced proposal to expand their debt to an all-time high, do it without any public discussion, and try and get away with it with a straight face.
Oh, I forgot.
The Tribune has everybody worrying about how Rick Munoz's kids got into Whitney Young.
And the Sun-Times is fluttering about the same diversions.
While Catalyst stays in numerical kindergarten and contents its smug self with parroting every pre-digested talking point to come out, publicly or on the side ("just between you and me, cool guy) as the latest "school reform" "news and analysis."
I hate metaphors, but the Titanic is irresistible at this point in history on these two counts. Don't read on if, like me, you think metaphors and talking points have made much of the USA brain dead in the face of ruthless facts.
This time, it really is the Titanic, and for a lot of incredibly ironic reasons. I guess we've got to honor the ironies of history, since we no longer teach it in this era of "standards and accountability," "business models," and "technocrats."
First, one the "admissions" "scandal" that's keeping everyone in the mass media from noticing the real CPS budget (as opposed to those mayoral babblings that are seriously indicating pre-onslaught dementia).
If Chicago hadn't let Richard Daley get away with depriving the city of lifeboats (four year general high schools in all communities) where every child would want to go and get the full array of courses, extra activities, and sports -- like in the suburban high schools -- would anyone be complaining about the selective enrollment ones.
This scramble for the few (perceived; as I've said, it's really not the reality) lifeboats that exist (in the minds of too many articulate parents) can only happen if, like with the Titanic and the Belfast yard that produced it, the design was wrong in the first place. This was a failure of the "leadership" (Daley; Duncan; corporate Chicago) not of the "high schools." The Titanic metaphor goes from the quality of the rivets that were supposed to keep the hull from popping to the number of lifeboats. And that was ordered by the guys who did the bonds that built the boat, not the engineers, welders, or even the architects.
Cost cutting. On the drawing board and in the rooms of the bean counters.
Second metaphor comes when you can see the iceberg but decide not to steer around it. In this case, it's not a legal pension obligation, but two decisions to (a) put off debt as far as possible, so it balloons in the next three years ("kicking the can" Vallas's people called it), and (b) add to that debt by the largest amount possible in the next few months.
And to think the same bank whose bean counters sunk the Titanic is now helping push the Good Old CPSanic out into the same waters in the same way. J. P. Morgan. J. P. Morgan Chase. The Daley family. What a team!
It was deliberate, when as you know we're talking about $6.8 billion dollars that CPS is proposing in the budget it's been spending since July 1.
But that was to get your attention.
Now for the Lehman Brothers question.
Why did the six members of the Chicago Board of Education who voted in favor of that $2.3 million Capital Development bonding on July 22 not ask -- in public -- how CPS can be borrowing all that new borrowing when CPS has just exploded its first debt bomb in the "Proposed Budget 2009-2010"?
And why in the face of a debt crisis (not a "pension crisis" like the official corporate media line goes, a "debt crisis" just like hammered housing) is CPS planning to double down on its already existing debt? Now? This year?
Only the same people who could lose $50 or $100 million of the children's money like Lehman Brothers (check out the investment income drop at CPS) on exotic nonsense could come up with an adrenaline and Red Bull juiced proposal to expand their debt to an all-time high, do it without any public discussion, and try and get away with it with a straight face.
Oh, I forgot.
The Tribune has everybody worrying about how Rick Munoz's kids got into Whitney Young.
And the Sun-Times is fluttering about the same diversions.
While Catalyst stays in numerical kindergarten and contents its smug self with parroting every pre-digested talking point to come out, publicly or on the side ("just between you and me, cool guy) as the latest "school reform" "news and analysis."
I hate metaphors, but the Titanic is irresistible at this point in history on these two counts. Don't read on if, like me, you think metaphors and talking points have made much of the USA brain dead in the face of ruthless facts.
This time, it really is the Titanic, and for a lot of incredibly ironic reasons. I guess we've got to honor the ironies of history, since we no longer teach it in this era of "standards and accountability," "business models," and "technocrats."
First, one the "admissions" "scandal" that's keeping everyone in the mass media from noticing the real CPS budget (as opposed to those mayoral babblings that are seriously indicating pre-onslaught dementia).
If Chicago hadn't let Richard Daley get away with depriving the city of lifeboats (four year general high schools in all communities) where every child would want to go and get the full array of courses, extra activities, and sports -- like in the suburban high schools -- would anyone be complaining about the selective enrollment ones.
This scramble for the few (perceived; as I've said, it's really not the reality) lifeboats that exist (in the minds of too many articulate parents) can only happen if, like with the Titanic and the Belfast yard that produced it, the design was wrong in the first place. This was a failure of the "leadership" (Daley; Duncan; corporate Chicago) not of the "high schools." The Titanic metaphor goes from the quality of the rivets that were supposed to keep the hull from popping to the number of lifeboats. And that was ordered by the guys who did the bonds that built the boat, not the engineers, welders, or even the architects.
Cost cutting. On the drawing board and in the rooms of the bean counters.
Second metaphor comes when you can see the iceberg but decide not to steer around it. In this case, it's not a legal pension obligation, but two decisions to (a) put off debt as far as possible, so it balloons in the next three years ("kicking the can" Vallas's people called it), and (b) add to that debt by the largest amount possible in the next few months.
And to think the same bank whose bean counters sunk the Titanic is now helping push the Good Old CPSanic out into the same waters in the same way. J. P. Morgan. J. P. Morgan Chase. The Daley family. What a team!
Sat Aug 15, 2009 at 12:39 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
in short Da Mayor, Huberman and his MBA's and the media are diverting us from the numbers that mean something! Again the media is covering for the the mayor!
Sat Aug 15, 2009 at 1:52 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
What does that say! If you go to the newly reorganized Tribune Home Page, there is only one reference to education, and that points to their semi-defunct NIE resource page. What is going on there! I guess there is a lot to hide!
Sat Aug 15, 2009 at 4:07 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
I have been wondering the same thing and just thought it was me. Thanks for confirming--they need to add a tab for education.
Sun Aug 16, 2009 at 1:31 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
is is becoming evident that huberman is breaking board policy with his twiter initiative in addition to endorsing and promoting inappropriate material for minors.
Sun Aug 16, 2009 at 6:48 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
The Board of Education's budget hearings begin tomorrow night (August 17) at Amundsen High School (5110 N. Damen) at 7:00 p.m. Since Chicago is now the model of corporate "school reform" for the USA, it behooves everyone to take a very very close look at how Chicago does its school business. Since Chicago has already been treated to the hysterical Huberspin on this massive document (via the corporate media, including our semi-numerate buddies here at Catalyst, and Mayor Daley's command and control media centers), it might be interesting for people to take a look at the numbers, claims, and data (after all, we're in an era of "data driven management") being provided to the public in the form of this legally required document. It reminds me of the old IPO material from outfits like Goldman Sachs during the "dot.com" (actually it should have been "dot.con") era. You have to read it to fully appreciate it. (Heck, I still have the White Sox cap that Webvan -- remember them? -- gave out 30,000 of back in the day at Sox Park a couple of years before the World Series...).
But I digress...
While the obsessions articulated here at District 299.con and in the corporate headlines are interesting, between now and August 26, CPS will approve a $6.8 billion budget for 2009-2010. (It's nearly seven billion because they've decided to throw their Capital budget back into the thingy; you know, one year it's in and the next year it's out...).
That budget, so far kept secret from the public (unless you have a very powerful computer, a huge amount of patience, and a hearty printer), it one of the most dangerous documents ever implemented by the Chicago Board of Education and is evidence both of the incompetence and the arrogance of Ron Huberman and his new administrative team.
A number of people will be outlining, piece by piece, just how arrogant, how incompetent, and how outrageous that "proposed budget" is over the next four days.
August 17, 2009. Monday. Amundsen High School, 5110 N. Damen. Hearing begins with Board Power Point presentation at 7:00 p.m.
August 18, 2009. Tuesday. Marshall High School, 3250 W. Adams. Hearing begins with Board Power Point presentation at 7:00 p.m.
August 19, 2009. Wednesday. Black Magnet School, 9101 S. Euclid. Hearing begins with Board Power Point presentation at 7:00 p.m.
Public participation sign in is from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the site each night.
What do I really think about the Hubercon in the Huberbudget?
Thanks for asking.
In light of the recent purges of competence from CPS by the new tribe of CTAs and MBAs in the Huberposse, the only way to characterize this thing is Huber----, a sub genre of the kind of Econ---- we've seen the past decade as east bubble (dot.con; commodities; housing) burst upon us. Brought to you by the same con jobs.
But the joke's on us.
But I digress...
While the obsessions articulated here at District 299.con and in the corporate headlines are interesting, between now and August 26, CPS will approve a $6.8 billion budget for 2009-2010. (It's nearly seven billion because they've decided to throw their Capital budget back into the thingy; you know, one year it's in and the next year it's out...).
That budget, so far kept secret from the public (unless you have a very powerful computer, a huge amount of patience, and a hearty printer), it one of the most dangerous documents ever implemented by the Chicago Board of Education and is evidence both of the incompetence and the arrogance of Ron Huberman and his new administrative team.
A number of people will be outlining, piece by piece, just how arrogant, how incompetent, and how outrageous that "proposed budget" is over the next four days.
August 17, 2009. Monday. Amundsen High School, 5110 N. Damen. Hearing begins with Board Power Point presentation at 7:00 p.m.
August 18, 2009. Tuesday. Marshall High School, 3250 W. Adams. Hearing begins with Board Power Point presentation at 7:00 p.m.
August 19, 2009. Wednesday. Black Magnet School, 9101 S. Euclid. Hearing begins with Board Power Point presentation at 7:00 p.m.
Public participation sign in is from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the site each night.
What do I really think about the Hubercon in the Huberbudget?
Thanks for asking.
In light of the recent purges of competence from CPS by the new tribe of CTAs and MBAs in the Huberposse, the only way to characterize this thing is Huber----, a sub genre of the kind of Econ---- we've seen the past decade as east bubble (dot.con; commodities; housing) burst upon us. Brought to you by the same con jobs.
But the joke's on us.
Sun Aug 16, 2009 at 6:53 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
The elipses in the last posting were because I coined two words that Alexander's robot censors DO NOT ALLOW. Once I removed them, the posting went through. If you want to fill in the blanks above, here's a hint.
The third syllable of each of the words left incomplete above begins with "P" and rhymes with CORN. Only a town with Second City could fully appreciate this thing, as we'll be reporting for the next couple of weeks while admiring how mathematically, legally, accountingly, and ethically dumb our colleagues in the reporting field insist on remaining.
The third syllable of each of the words left incomplete above begins with "P" and rhymes with CORN. Only a town with Second City could fully appreciate this thing, as we'll be reporting for the next couple of weeks while admiring how mathematically, legally, accountingly, and ethically dumb our colleagues in the reporting field insist on remaining.
Sun Aug 16, 2009 at 7:38 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
What does this new policy mean for non-board issued cell phone use between parents and teachers? I read the policy and of course, like most policies they are either very difficult to understand or intentionally constructed with a bit of ambiguity.
Thanks
Thanks
Sun Aug 16, 2009 at 9:12 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
I've read the AUP numerous times and I don't see anything that explicitly prohibits teacher-parent contact via cell phone as long as there is no communication between teacher and student.
Sun Aug 16, 2009 at 9:22 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
right, so the student answers your cell phone when you ar trying to call the parent. Student does not give theparent the message anyway and then tells her friends you creeped her out by calling her home. Please, this is all designed on the extreme and now there is no turning back. I hope they hold charters to such high 'quality' policies.
Mon Aug 17, 2009 at 12:58 AM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
how would this work in cps?
http://features.csmonitor.com/innovation/2009/07/23/schools-add-cellphones-to-curriculum-%E2%80%93-slowly/
By Colleen Long | Associated Press/ July 23, 2009 edition
NEW YORK
Smart phones now have hundreds of applications meant to educate kids — from graphic calculators to animation programs that teach spelling and phonics.
And while most public schools don’t allow the devices because they’re considered distractions — and sometimes portable cheating tools — some school districts have started to put the technology to use.
The key, educators say, is controlling the environment in which they are used.
In St. Mary’s, Ohio, a school district of 2,300 students is continuing a pilot program where third-, fourth- and fifth-graders are assigned PDAs for use as a learning tool in the classroom, and at home. They use applications created by a company called Go Know! to draw pictures and create sketches, journal and write essays, said Kyle Menchhofer, the district’s technology coordinator. Other applications create flash cards for spelling and math.
Students took the phones on a museum field trip where they took photos, uploaded them to a server where the teacher could view the assignment and wrote blurbs about what they saw.
http://features.csmonitor.com/innovation/2009/07/23/schools-add-cellphones-to-curriculum-%E2%80%93-slowly/
By Colleen Long | Associated Press/ July 23, 2009 edition
NEW YORK
Smart phones now have hundreds of applications meant to educate kids — from graphic calculators to animation programs that teach spelling and phonics.
And while most public schools don’t allow the devices because they’re considered distractions — and sometimes portable cheating tools — some school districts have started to put the technology to use.
The key, educators say, is controlling the environment in which they are used.
In St. Mary’s, Ohio, a school district of 2,300 students is continuing a pilot program where third-, fourth- and fifth-graders are assigned PDAs for use as a learning tool in the classroom, and at home. They use applications created by a company called Go Know! to draw pictures and create sketches, journal and write essays, said Kyle Menchhofer, the district’s technology coordinator. Other applications create flash cards for spelling and math.
Students took the phones on a museum field trip where they took photos, uploaded them to a server where the teacher could view the assignment and wrote blurbs about what they saw.
Mon Aug 17, 2009 at 4:23 PM
Trying to help
I have talked with high ranking officials in CPS about this issue. They have some legal mandates and statutes that make them keep records of conversations and try to reduce risk by making such social media policies. As the owner of a social media site in Chicago, http://applebatch.com , I am trying to do whatever it takes to help teachers connect online. In the coming years, CPS will open the doors to more innovative solutions. The new CEO is trying too but many things are beyond control.
Mon Aug 17, 2009 at 5:17 PM
No Social Media For CPS Teachers
As a teacher, with the professional organizations that I am affiliated with, we use NIng Social Networks and Chicago's Own Biggest hit 37 Signal's Basecamp project planning site.
