Wednesday, November 02, 2005

I Wonder...

Hmm...how interesting/amazing/ironic (you choose the appropriate word) that Dr. Scheer's "State of the District" address should focus so heavily on 21st Century Education and the ideas and theories we have embraced as the themes of our class.

As I looked around the forum, most of us were offering understanding and excited nods.

I wonder what people hearing these ideas for the first time thought about Dr. Scheer's talk? I wonder what direction the district will head in the future? I wonder what kind of impact our class could have given the openness of our superintendent?

11 comments:

  1. I thought it was interesting that what he said dovetailed with what we are talking about so well. I also wonder if some of you might be more likely to read The World is Flat now that Dr. Scheer encouraged you to read it, not just little 'ole me! :-)

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  2. I wonder, if this is essentially the same talk he gave over at another school, why someone was so offended? I thought it was exciting to hear about the changes headed our way! I also really thought about the statement he made regarding public education and how we will be in the limelight again. What a great chance for us to SHINE and show everyone that yes, we can move with the times.

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  3. I agree with Melissa about hearing Dr.Scheer's comments regarding the future of education. I was enthused to hear his excitement over the possibilities and direction he wants to take us, and in the same regard, allow us to take him and the rest of the district. What a fascinating time to be in education!

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  4. Here, here! It made me think that we are headed in the right direction with what we are to accomplish together. I know I already feel a bit more competent with certain ideals we have been pursuing. I am excited to see where this takes us, and in a sense, we'll be a step ahead. It was good for not just us, but others to here Dr. Scheer's subtle message. We can beget this enthusisam.

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  5. I think that it is exciting to be on the front end of major changes in education. It is good to hear that the district is going in the same that we are trying to go in this group.

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  6. One of the things I like about what we are doing is that we are doing it voluntarily, rather than being told to do so from above. I definitely felt encourage by Dr. Scheer's comments, but I wonder how I would have felt if he were forcing this stuff upon us.

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  7. As a member of this group I felt pride when I listened to Dr. Scheer. It confirmed what I thought when I joined the group: education in the 21st century will be (must be) different. However, I have talked with some collegues and their reaction to the speech was quite different. Their impression was that teachers are not doing enough and teachers will be forced to change. To combat these same feelings within our group I think it is very important for us to support each other by reminding each other that we are doing a good job. Our students are being successful in many ways. Yet our goal is to consider the future in which our students will be living and ask ourselves "How can we best prepare students for the 21st century?".

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  8. I do think that some teachers should be frightened. We all expressed misgivings about implementing new ideas and strategies into our classrooms. I do think that we need a major shakeup. We spoke about it in class, that we need to hold the kids more acountable and hopefully instill the love for learning again. I, like Mary, have doubts about the legislative part of it. After seeing and hearing that yes, once again, Colorado is at the bottom of funding for education in the 50 states, I wonder when people will realize that you get out what you put in. I hope that they do make education a top priority with funding, especially when the rest of the world is starting to surpass us.

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  9. Let me add a comment as a new "lurker". I came across your site tangentially while working on a project to assess the role of blogging today for a graduate School of Information Class at the University of Michigan. For that project, I started a blog 45 days ago, and it has been a life-transforming experience in a good way.

    So here's a vote from outside that you're going the right way. I taught 9-12th grade Trade School for a year, back in 1969-70, I moved on and taught MBA's at Cornell, and now I'm working on my MPH, as probably the oldest person in the distance-ed class at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health and I'm learning how to utilize the "read/write web" to advance critical thinking and good public policy.

    I tried to put everthing that looked like a good resource on my blog as I found it. You have links
    to many good sites but I may have some you've missed, such as the Pew Internet in America research.

    It's tacky, but I have no ads and I'm not counting heads. Come visit at http://cscwteam.blogspot.com and scarf up what resources you can there. That name is shorthand for "computer-supported cooperative work" and I'm increasingly evangelical lately about why it is the absolute wave of the future!

    My youngest child of 3 is in college, so your blog is my link to that age group. If there's something useful I can do, or a student project I could review or respond to in my area, I'll be glad to help, time available.

    Wade Schuette
    University of Michigan Health System & Johns Hopkins School of Public Health

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  10. I was very proud of all of you. We are on the radar screen in the district and it's very positive. As an IC,I am hearing people begin to ask questions about what we are doing with a tinge of envy. At a fellow high school, it has caused a torrent of comments about why wasn't that us. I think that places us in an enviable positon of leadership which will require strength, determination, clear focus and humility. I think it is our opportunity to plant seeds and begin to invite new people in by sharing our enthusiasm and sharing some of our work. I believe we need to be thinking about next year and who will be ready to join/embrace our ideas and efforts. I believe there are several already. And at what point do we reach out beyond our walls, and how? How excitng it is to be out in front for a change.
    In response to Mary and Adam, I understand your concerns. I've also been a part of group process for a long time. I have often seen groups struggle at 1st to find their footing , take steps back, re-group and then rocket forward.I feel this group is up to meeting the many challenges that come our way. It's about the strength of our resolve and the confidence in our leadership. I continue to go back to the thought "Who would have believed that Karl could pull off this grant, get support from all levels of administration and be on our way this quickly?" It really is abut our resolve and creativity. Thanks for raising the issue.

    rayh

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  11. In discussing norms last meeting, many wanted more of the members to leave their remarks. Bravo all! What a conversation. I felt I was sitting in a classroom discussion.

    In talking with others who are not on the committee, teachers do feel afraid and think that we are going to get pressure to add technology and change what we're doing. As we have discovered through our short beginning on constructivism--this is exactly what we need! Asking ourselves why we teach the things we do, asking how do we know when students understand what we teach, and ultimately, do we see our students engaged in their own learning?

    I too, was thrilled to hear Dr. Scheer speak and discussed this with my cynical and apprehensive colleagues; we need to continue searching, always, for ways to not only reach our students, but to have our students reach...beyond our teaching.

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