Discussion

June 1, 2010 Thornburg Article What quotes from the article did you like? Be sure to put what page they are on.

Some can master content quickly and others need more time. p. 3 Dr. Fowler

We look at the present through a rearview mirror. We march backwards into the future. p .8 M. Jones

"The biggest enemy of excellence is 'good enough'." If we expect excellence from our learners, we need to expect it from our teachers and institutions as well.

"In a time of drastic change it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists." Christina Lee

Which of Thornburg's 5 goals to realize the vision for the future of education do you think is most important and why?

4. Teachers will be ready to use and teach with technology. I think that educators will be forced to keep up with the changes of tecnology in order to be successful in the classroom. I think that they will have to be able to use and teach with technology in order to stay up to date with the numerous changes in society. p.8 Yolanda T. 1. Modern computers and learning devices will be accessible to every student. I think that it is important because although the traditional way of learning does not specificly involve computers, children will have some type of computer knowledge whether it be through a PC, ipod, ipad, etc. And with each child having access to a computer it can also help the teacher find different ways of learning for a student who does necessarily learns the traditional way. p.8 M. Jones

2. Classrooms will be connected to one another and to the outside world. This is true on so many different levels. Children are like sponges and we must keep in mind that they are also literal in the sense of how they may perceive and derive the information that we present to them. We may not reach out think that we are reaching them, but then they progress to the next grade level and we see the little things that they did master as skills and take with them into someone else's classroom. It is important for us to prepare them for things that they will encounter when they move to the next grade level. They will keep building upon all of the skills and tools that we as educators, equip them with, so the importance lies within the quality of what we teach, not so much the quantity. In my opinion, anyhow. Christina Lee

What other questions did you think of as you read the article? How are students going to perform academically in households that do not have access to computer and inernet use if technology because a large factor in elementary and secondary education?

Its okay to envision a future, but where is a concrete plan? M. Jones

How will we keep up in the fast paced world that we live in and nurture our new aged generation of youngsters is there is NO FUNDING to do so??? Christina Lee