After my first week in a new public school position, I encountered another senseless contradiction.
Imagine asking your grandmother to remove your car’s transmission and move it to the attic (yes, I’m stealing this line from an old Steve Martin comedy routine which I’m sure is dating me). Now imagine asking school teachers to instruct 30 students, keeping them on task and in cadence with one another so all learn what is needed in order to pass to the next grade level at year’s end (Only it’s not just YOU requiring this of the teachers). Administrators also have their demands that students pass various tests in order to validate the schools existence and value.
Add to this equation the politicians legislating teacher activities to such an extent that they no longer have time to help promising young learners but rather have to make certain no disenfranchised child is left behind thereby dumbing down the classroom experience for all to meet the lowest common denominator. Finally, multiply these demands by the struggling-to-survive media’s negative headlines written to gain reader attention in light of ever increasing competition. It’s ugly. It’s senseless. And it’s self contradictory.
I’m excited to see a new generation of classroom instructors who can facilitate critical thinking but who can even MORE foster a new morale among our youth that motivates them to value learning. The paradigm shift from career focused learning to lifelong learning is in our midst and the status quo will never meet the need. God have mercy. If we don’t find the way, we will lose a generation to technology-as-a-substitute rather than as a tool.
One such tool emerging from our Web 2.0 world is the blog; short for ‘web log’ (not “big load of gossip” as assumed by some). Blogging is the most useful way to have students journal and let teachers know what’s up with their class. The present generation is accustomed to text messaging and sending pics and audio files and these can be sent from cell phones direct to blogs. Google’s “Blogger” service offers a quick link so cell phone users can take a photo or video, record an audio clip or write a note and text it directly to their blog. What a great way to engage a class and get everyone collaborating. Of course not everyone has a cell phone that is equipped accordingly but the times are changing and it behooves us to prepare. (posted 9/7/08)
