Comments on: Do You See What I See? http://future.teacherleaders.org/2009/09/do-you-see-what-i-see/ Keepers of the Flame Wed, 01 Feb 2012 23:55:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jose http://future.teacherleaders.org/2009/09/do-you-see-what-i-see/comment-page-1/#comment-11 Jose Wed, 16 Sep 2009 01:09:54 +0000 http://future.teacherleaders.org/?p=28#comment-11 We need people to constantly be on the lookout for the ignored. If we aren't their biggest advocates, who will be? We need people to constantly be on the lookout for the ignored. If we aren’t their biggest advocates, who will be?

]]> By: Shannon http://future.teacherleaders.org/2009/09/do-you-see-what-i-see/comment-page-1/#comment-9 Shannon Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:37:02 +0000 http://future.teacherleaders.org/?p=28#comment-9 In Iowa, online education began as a response to rural needs where the schools did not have the resources to provide a teacher in physics, chemistry and higher levels of math. That solves the problem of school day/year access as the kids can get online at school.. but does not help in the long term with broadband access. If broadband high speed access is the new portal to education then it should be available to all. Kids who do not have access at home do not have the same opportunities to learn as those who do. Legislators seem to have forgotten that a simple $30 a month internet fee is a deal breaker for lots of families trying to figure out how to heat their homes this winter. As we move towards the exciting opportunities online learning presents for students (like the opportunity to learn from someone like Renee) I hope we all are keeping our eye on those who often get pushed aside and forgotten in the excitement of innovation. I say let's solve the problem of access. The innovation will roll along just fine without advocates...the kids need us to guard their opportunities to learn. Cable companies are making millions from these lucrative internet provider fees. I think we should advocate for them to help fund some of the access innovations for those who cannot fully participate because of income. The idea of network vs cable is a similar access issue. Everyone has access to basic news and information through broadcast network stations. Should we not provide the same with the web? In the digital television transition people would have marched on Washington if they would have made everyone move to cable and pay for it. I believe that basic broadband access is network TV and that everyone should have access. I too am wary. The promise of technology is too great to ignore and too important to not involve everyone. It is time to stand up and make sure the poor and the powerless voices are not ignored. Shannon In Iowa, online education began as a response to rural needs where the schools did not have the resources to provide a teacher in physics, chemistry and higher levels of math. That solves the problem of school day/year access as the kids can get online at school.. but does not help in the long term with broadband access. If broadband high speed access is the new portal to education then it should be available to all. Kids who do not have access at home do not have the same opportunities to learn as those who do. Legislators seem to have forgotten that a simple $30 a month internet fee is a deal breaker for lots of families trying to figure out how to heat their homes this winter. As we move towards the exciting opportunities online learning presents for students (like the opportunity to learn from someone like Renee) I hope we all are keeping our eye on those who often get pushed aside and forgotten in the excitement of innovation. I say let’s solve the problem of access. The innovation will roll along just fine without advocates…the kids need us to guard their opportunities to learn. Cable companies are making millions from these lucrative internet provider fees. I think we should advocate for them to help fund some of the access innovations for those who cannot fully participate because of income. The idea of network vs cable is a similar access issue. Everyone has access to basic news and information through broadcast network stations. Should we not provide the same with the web? In the digital television transition people would have marched on Washington if they would have made everyone move to cable and pay for it. I believe that basic broadband access is network TV and that everyone should have access.
I too am wary. The promise of technology is too great to ignore and too important to not involve everyone. It is time to stand up and make sure the poor and the powerless voices are not ignored.
Shannon

]]> By: Jennifer http://future.teacherleaders.org/2009/09/do-you-see-what-i-see/comment-page-1/#comment-8 Jennifer Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:24:57 +0000 http://future.teacherleaders.org/?p=28#comment-8 Renee, I hear you. Maybe it’s because I’m a southerner as well, maybe it’s because I’ve seen the need for more caring, equity, and responsibility, or maybe it’s because I feel the burden that in a society that seems so incredibly connected, many of our students seem to be even more disconnected than before. I love that the Life Magazine picture provided a compass point for you. I can almost see you as you stumbled upon an image that sharpened your vision for the future. My “compass point” has always been the slogan on a little button I discovered in a tourist shop in Portland, Maine in 1988. “Think Globally, Act Locally” it said. Simple, but powerful. I had no idea at that time how I might act on my hopes for a better world, but I always knew that I had to be the kind of person to take action. I believe that our nation’s passionate people are being summoned to act on their concerns. Like you, I am deeply concerned about issues of equity and opportunity in education. I need to speak out more about these issues and search for more avenues for action. Some things don’t change. You are right. But we can’t let that be our excuse for not passionately pushing ahead. Good is always the enemy of great. Renee,
I hear you. Maybe it’s because I’m a southerner as well, maybe it’s because I’ve seen the need for more caring, equity, and responsibility, or maybe it’s because I feel the burden that in a society that seems so incredibly connected, many of our students seem to be even more disconnected than before.

I love that the Life Magazine picture provided a compass point for you. I can almost see you as you stumbled upon an image that sharpened your vision for the future. My “compass point” has always been the slogan on a little button I discovered in a tourist shop in Portland, Maine in 1988. “Think Globally, Act Locally” it said. Simple, but powerful. I had no idea at that time how I might act on my hopes for a better world, but I always knew that I had to be the kind of person to take action. I believe that our nation’s passionate people are being summoned to act on their concerns. Like you, I am deeply concerned about issues of equity and opportunity in education. I need to speak out more about these issues and search for more avenues for action.

Some things don’t change. You are right. But we can’t let that be our excuse for not passionately pushing ahead. Good is always the enemy of great.

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