| Many years ago our great country decided that | | | | book, buy or borrow it, and then read it from |
| public education was of such great value that we | | | | cover to cover. Why should we teach the leaders |
| should make it both free and mandatory. In many | | | | of the future how to get information using a |
| early communities it started as a one room school | | | | method that is out dated at best? |
| teacher. If the population did not warrant a full | | | | Think of the possibilities. How would you like to be |
| time teacher they provided tutors for smaller | | | | a student entering a classroom for United States |
| communities. | | | | History? Could I get you excited if I told you that |
| As a teacher for the past thirty years I am going | | | | you would be able to use a disc to research each |
| to try to convince you that change in education is | | | | of the topics that we would cover this year? |
| long over due. I am also going to try to explain | | | | Would you prefer to keep a three ring binder, |
| how it should change, and why it has not changed. | | | | spiral binder, or a file on your personal computer |
| Many political leaders in many states have used | | | | that could be accessed at home or at school? Not |
| the education of children as a forum to get | | | | only that but the instructor could access your |
| elected. Change has been promised in the form of | | | | work at any time. |
| programs such as the "No child left behind" | | | | If any of this sounds familiar it is because this is |
| program. One can find long lists of other | | | | not new. It is the way we run bussiness in |
| programs that promised that American children | | | | practically every industry in America. It seems like |
| would catch up with their counterparts in China, | | | | it's good enough for adults but too good for |
| Japan, and other industrial countries. | | | | students. I strongly believe that students deserve |
| So what is the problem? The problem is that our | | | | to have access to every modern technological |
| kids do not live in the same agricultural, | | | | tool that is available to the general public in public |
| settlement society of the 1800's yet we continue | | | | and private jobs. So why keep it from them? |
| to educate them in much the same mannor. Think | | | | Why hold students back? Why not use the |
| about it... What have we really changed concerning | | | | technology that is in common use through out the |
| the process of educating students over the past | | | | world? |
| 200 years? If preparing students for the society | | | | The Simple Truth |
| we live in is an important goal then we know that | | | | In colonial times it seemed to be worthwhile for a |
| we are not doing that. We do not need any test | | | | community to hire a school teacher to teach in a |
| to know that we are not preparing our kids for | | | | one room school. The cost of ignorance was too |
| the high tech society that exist today. | | | | high. Learning to read and write was considered a |
| Proposed Changes | | | | value to our society. |
| First of all if we are to prepare kids for todays | | | | In America today we are not willing to pay to get |
| world we must get rid of the antiquated books | | | | our kids the education that will prepare them for |
| and paper that plague our school age children. | | | | the society we live in. It cost too much to equip |
| That's right we must get rid of the books and | | | | schools with modern technology. Not to mention |
| replace them with c.d's. Then we must have a lap | | | | the fact that we do not have teachers with the |
| top or computer station on each and every desk | | | | skills that are necessary for using technology in |
| in our schools. Of course there are many options. | | | | the classroom. |
| One could have a lap top issued to them at the | | | | Identifying the problems is easy. They have been |
| beginning of school and turned back in at the end | | | | identified year after year in local, state, and |
| of the school year. | | | | national elections. I am convinced that the |
| There is no good reason, other than cost, for | | | | solutions are just as obvious. Now all we have to |
| students carrying around 5 or 6 books along with | | | | do is convince the American public that preparing |
| notebooks, pencil, and paper. It's just not the way | | | | our children for the society we live in is worth the |
| our modern society works. What sense does it | | | | cost and that we truly can not afford to continue |
| make to teach our kids to use text books to get | | | | to teach with the same methods used in the |
| information? Not one of you reading this article | | | | 1800's. |
| would waste the time it takes to find the right | | | | |