On this page today the editorial cartoon shows a paper airplane as an example of a “by-gone era of student distractions” and the cartoonist adds it was “replaced later by iPods, cell phones and texting.” As one from the paper airplane era, I agree its sole purpose was for distraction — teacher, class, etc. — anything to cause loss of focus. Those of us who know what a paper airplane was will smile and agree with the cartoonist. We also like the comparison to the gadgets with which we share a love-hate relationship.
On television lately, I have seen an actor who is playing a college professor apologize to his class of students for the education system being so old fashioned. The students in the class have iPods, phones in their hands and plugged into their ears. The advertisement is for online classes at a university. As I have watched the commercial and read today’s cartoon, I wonder if adults are not education’s real distraction.
Political leaders who love to “fix” the public education system have beaten their breasts with excitement when they raise the technological level of the schools. We hear about new computer labs, white boards connected to computers (instead of black boards and chalk), and even laptops for every student. What we as adults see as high tech many of the students see as a paper airplane. Instead of using what every student has — the cell phone, iPod — we trail behind exclaiming, “look what we have done now.”
Why don’t we develop classes around texting on a phone? How about a class using a Wii? How about something using the Xbox? Surely, we have people smart enough in the country to develop education programs that will bring our children back to the basics of education through the latest in technology.
Here at The Times, we have partnered with a company called TweenTribune.com where teachers can open a class and have the students sign in for their daily work. The teacher can then close the class (lock it) to outside use and make assignments only the students in that class are allowed to do. The same concept could be used for many different subjects allowing the student to work from the smart phone, laptop, computer at home, the library — wherever.
Maybe instead of banning cell phones at school, we should be using them to extend the reach of the school. I wonder how many failing students we have in our high schools who can out-text their teachers typing on a computer keyboard? I would wager to say that most know how to download new ringtones and applications without any outside help. (Side Bar: LG, a mobile phone company, is sponsoring a national texting contest that will pay the winner $25,000.)
It is almost an oxymoron how we mobilize leadership committees to develop a high-tech workforce, but we see the technology of this generation as a distraction. My, my, maybe we are too smart for our on good!
What We Think
From the publisher: Are we too smart for smart phones?
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Leaving NCLB behind
Georgia schools may be sighing in relief today, following the announcement that the U.S. Department of Education granted a waiver to the state, along with nine others, from the rigorous requirements of the No Child Left Behind act.
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Don’t jettison landmark
While we respect the request to relocate the F-86 aircraft from outside Mathis City Auditorium to the new Moody Air Force Base Airpark, we would hope the city and MAFB would reconsider moving it.
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Shame in Berrien County
Unfortunately for Sherrie Williams of the Berrien County school-based health clinic, she talked to The Times and praised the program that she oversees. This pride in her work led to the loss of her job.
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Grading policy: A second chance?
In clarifying the Lowndes County Schools’ controversial grading policy, Superintendent Dr. Steve Smith spoke of second chances.
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Be up to any weather challenge
Georgia’s Severe Weather Awareness Week starts today and runs through Friday. The idea behind the week is to prepare Georgians for weather emergencies and how to keep these situations from becoming tragedies.
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Parents and schools
There is a lot of talk lately about school systems and grading policies, and how all of a child's problems come back to a lack of parenting. But is it really that simple? Can it be a case where the school systems are so focused on the problem few that the majority of students are ignored?
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Thumbs up, thumbs down
THUMBS UP: To Brooks County High School engineering and technology teacher Don Morgan and his students. They recently received national attention for their work with biodiesel fuel. They collect used cooking oil from area fast-food restaurants then process this oil into biodiesel. Morgan hopes to next interest the Brooks County school buses into running on the fuel created in his class. This classroom not only prepares students for the future but may prepare all of us for an alternative energy source.
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Take me out to the ball park
The Valdosta State baseball season begins today. The Blazers host Lindenwood at 2:30 p.m. Nothing beats quality baseball played in warm weather with a great venue like Billy Grant Field.
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What We Think: Signing Day
Wednesday was National Signing Day, the day when high school athletes across the country make official announcements about what school they’ve chosen to sign with.
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School policy fails expectations
Lowndes County Schools recently implemented new grading guidelines for students. These guidelines have left many parents upset ...
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Leaving NCLB behind
