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