This is from a blog post from Wesley Freyer and it struck a chord with me.
If I had a chance to meet with Florida’s highest ranking education official for the next four years this is what I would say:
“Sir or madam. Your students are changing rapidly. They are speaking different languages and thinking in different and new ways. Your teachers and school system are not changing nearly rapidly enough to keep up. If you don’t keep up, school becomes less interesting and much less relevant to the students. They will go somewhere else. Not physically, but mentally. Just buying technologies like Interactive Whiteboards is not the answer without rethinking how the classroom will function. Teacher training is critical but most of all, the school system needs to reevaluate every single assumption about education we have had in the last 150 years. Because a storm of change is coming. Thank you.
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Hypothetically, if you had an opportunity to meet over coffee with the person who was going to be your state’s highest ranking education official for the next four years, what would you say?
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Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.
Education Stormfront 
Rethinking how the classroom will function is key. You are right, trying to wow students with the latest technology isn’t lasting and it isn’t what is best for students. We need a do-over.
By: ktenkely on April 19, 2010
at 9:41 pm
I like your response. Fundamentally rethinking education is tough work. I wonder if any of our state officials are up to the task?
By: Wesley Fryer on April 20, 2010
at 7:06 pm
Wow Wes Fryer commenting on my blog. Cool!
I think our state and federal officials are more concerned with budgets and less about learning. As long as the money keeps flowing in, why should they change anything? However, alternatives are now possible and will arise. Nature abhors a vacuum.
Thanks for commenting!
By: crudbasher on April 21, 2010
at 12:16 pm