The 'key' words here are employment, unions, education, depersonalization of education and socialization and what computer technology actually has to DETER a healthy relationship between parent-child and citizen-society.
I don't really see an America that substitutes computers for teachers. I would fully expect young Americans to learn in the presence of a human being that addresses their 'socialization' as well as their learning.
If one remembers there were psychological experiments whereby 'monkeys' were reared by 'wire mothers' as opposed to 'cloth mothers' in a controlled environment to see how well they faired. Do we, while struggling to regain our footing for our economy really want to turn over our children's education to 'wire teachers' in an electronic box OR do we see our classrooms as enhanced by electronic wizardry?
Let me see if the net has a notation regarding that study of 'non-touch' child rearing?
Okay, here are two references:
Harry F. Harlow, Monkey Love Experiments (click here)
The Nature of Love (click here)
In the circumstances below and at the title to this entry, whereby religious schools are challenged for many reasons to remain open, one of the options for children re-entering public schools is to provide 'modules' for their religious education at their homes with an understanding that parents will supervise that activity and it may or may not be included in the grading cirriculum. Heck, nuns or priests can give exams at their local parishes and provide that grade to be included in their public school record if there is no 'cross over' of church and state in that regard.
Remedial education is another possiblity and 'exception' classes that link children, adolescents and young adults that are interested in 'the same' subject, but, are in the minority of the country in that focus. It would bring expertise to many that seek that level of involvement while providing a school with an enhanced education experience for their students.
The news shook students, parents and teachers, many of whom had joined in desperate fund-raising efforts.
...This would be the second major round of elementary school closings in recent years for the diocese, which comprises Brooklyn and Queens. In 2005, it closed 25, and in the next two years, seven more. If the proposed closings are carried out, the diocese will have shut down nearly one-third of the elementary schools it had just half a decade ago....
There are certain 'street sense' reasons to maintain students in a healthy classroom environment DEVOID of electronic media, INCLUDING, cell phones and laptops. The 'two' don't mix. The 'computer generation' is turning to be social basket cases, with places like My Space and Facebook as social networking preoccupying them and using them for marketing purposes. Learning and social networking DOES NOT go together and while education should continue to be conducted in a structured classroom where progress can be MEASURED by teachers as well as 'tests' it can be enhanced by 'controlled use of technology.'
In other words, 'What would the one room school house look like with 'web casts' under the supervision of teachers? Students, regardless the age or grade can achieve with the 'help' of technology, but, left alone to use it autonomously without the enhancement and emotional competency of a teacher is complete abandonment of the 'human touch.'
So. Before Governors go 'hog wild' on destroying jobs for teachers and 'hand out' computers as candy to parents/families, they need to put THEIR BUDGETS in order that includes bolstering the budgets of school systems TO INCLUDE electronic technologies that will provide for 'special needs' of any student when they are not achieving well or coming back to the public school system from fiscally failing religious schools.
The public school system should not hold students 'hostage' to a 'lack of religious eduction' but be a welcome venue for desperate parents seeking to educate their children through religious influence while seeking high quality education in English, Geography, Science, Math, Physical Education and any other subject that comes into play.
I also don't see 'private schools' benefitting from public funding for such technology. If parents choose to use other 'types' of school models such as Charter Schools they can provide for their children in 'the ususal' manner while our public schools receive the monies from the public rhelm.
The Labor Unions need to do their jobs here and do them well. We are not a nation seeking to replace well paid and qualified teachers and they need protections from Governors seeking to 'replace' teachers and break strong unions (if there is such a thing anymore) while fiscally challenged.
There are plenty of other areas Governors can trim their budgets while supporting labor and education. The Governors' are 'used to' the Bush White House, whereby, monies are handed out for building roads and houses that 'crash' the fiscal infrastructure of the nation. They haven't yet realized how spending on roads only creates short term jobs and leaves behind a road with little revenue developement or tax base.
Shame on them.
Investing in teachers and educational infrastructure for our students means providing for a wider tax base on a longer time continuum and THAT is what we are seeking as a nation.
In example, it is high time the voters of California begin to examine closely the budget failures under Schwarzenegger and wonder if they need better leadership in California !
