Net Generation

Should school be a place where we mimic the multitasking environment or should it be a place where we slow things down, teach students to read and write complete words, sentences and paragraphs?

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/06/23/tech.popcorn.brain.ep/

Education vs common sense

Being an educated, intelligent person does not mean that you have any common sense.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/dean+medicine+resigns/4964115/story.html

Government infrastructure dept. got it right

It is not very often I find myself on the side of the government but spending money now to build or renovate schools is right on.

The province has announced a spending blitz to build new schools across the province and renovate many older schools. It will cost huge amounts of money in the short term but money well spent.

Alberta is on the verge of an economic boom and when that is underway, the cost of construction goes up. Oil companies and other businesses will be expanding. The construction companies will be busy; supply and demand will push the cost of construction up.

It is prudent and fiscally responsible to build and renovate now.

Who is to blame?

Despite the fact that Alberta is the richest province in Canada, one of the strongest economies in the world and is on the verge of an economic boom, the provincial government can't manage to meet the obligations of a contract that they negotiated.

To save money in an economic boom teachers should take a wage freeze?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/story/2011/05/30/edmonton-stelmach-teachers-unions-cuts.html?ref=rss

If the province can't manage to meet it's contractual obligations, they should go back to letting boards negotiate teacher contracts. When the teacher contracts were negotiated by school boards they were only an issue at contract time. Once a contract was done, everyone expected to live up to the agreements until next contract time.

Education cuts

I love it when people get passionate about education

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/business/Hundreds+rally+against+education+cuts/4860643/story.html

Cutting School Days

It was reported recently that the St. Paul Education Regional Division is cutting the school year by one day to save $50,000. It may seem like a good idea on the surface but it is setting a dangerous precedence.

What is the message that is being sent to children? School is important for your future, you must attend classes regularly, unless it will save us some money.

This is the richest province in Canada. We have a strong economy and by all indicators it will only be getting stronger. Do we really need to be saving money buy cutting class time for children?

Holidays

Edmonton public is considering re-arranging the school year to add another holiday in November.

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Edmonton+Public+Schools+considers+fall+break/4668033/story.html

I think it is time to consider year round schooling. A student or teacher can expect to attend or work two out of the three terms. If a student wanted to attend all three terms, they could finish their grade 12 earlier.