1 on 1

5:18 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
While looking for information about MLTI, Maine's Learning Technology Initiative, I came across an interesting quote from Seymour Papert, former Governor King's technology go to guy. When asked about possibilities that reduce computer-to-student ratio to 3 to 1 Papert responded, 

"It's only when the ration is 1 to 1 that something powerful happens."

If it weren't for Seymour Papert, Governor King's vision may have been taken in a different direction. Who knows where Maine would be in this technology initiative.

Seat belts?

5:19 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
I just found a blog that opened a discussion about why school buses don't have seat belts, and she raised a good point. 

"Car seats and booster seats are required by law whenever you transport a child, in a car, under the age of eight and the weight of 80 pounds. Why then, are not even seat belts required on school buses that carry children as young as five for kindergarden, or in the case of special services and private preschools as young as three?"

I found this interesting, I only remember one school bus throughout my entire elementary experience with seat belts, and it was only in the front most row. To add on to the authors statement, the state of Maine has a required seat belt law, that every individual must be buckled, in addition to car seat/booster seat laws. If the law is effective for cars, trucks, and so forth shouldn't it also be effective for school buses?

Students teaching Teachers

5:06 PM Edit This 0 Comments »
I thought the article, Young Minds, Fast Times: The Twenty-First Century Digital Learner, showed exactly what students are looking for. The panels are a good tool to improve teacher's classrooms and allow the students to actually learn the required material, if the teachers listen. If I had had a teacher or two (or three) that asked us for feedback on their teaching and whether or not we were engaged, and took the time to change their approach, I think I would have learned a lot more. As the author stated not all teachers are "boring" or disengaging to students but all teachers should aspire to have an engages classroom with active learners.

Early Childhood Education is KEY

10:10 AM Edit This 0 Comments »
Not to get political, but I found what Senator Obama said about Early Childhood Education to be very true. If you missed it here's the clip. 
He stated "Early Childhood Education... closes the achievement gap so every child is prepared for school," which in turn leads to improved scores, diminishing drop out rates and less delinquency.

Mega Schools

10:11 AM Edit This 0 Comments »
I found a blog about "The Dangers of Megaschools." Where a teachers discuses the effects of a megaschools. Megaschoools are schools that contain a large number of students in one building.  The teacher who wrote the article was facing the combination of the schools in her district into a "megaschool." 
There were money saving reasons for the district, but possibly education loss from the outcome. Teacher- student ratio expands making it harder for the teacher to spend needed time with each student to ensure their success, but what caught my attention was the fact that some megaschools are becoming K-12. As this teacher pointed out it would be very scary for a new kindergardener to only walk into their first day of school with who knows how many other students, but among high school students as well. High schools and elementary schools should stay separate.
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