[ale] Cobb Laptop Deal

[Geoffrey]

Mark Wright wrote:

> "The Accelerated Reader, or AR, is a learning information system that  
> enables freestanding computer-assisted assessment of student  
> comprehension of ?real? books."
> 
> That is still just a grading system.  It does not teach.  You read a  
> book and take a test that the computer delivers and tally's.  You can  
> call it a "learning information system" if you like but all it does  is 
> free the teacher from having to read the book or grade the questions.

Regardless, it's not used to provide a 'grade' for a student.  Yes, it 
saves the teacher having to grade the test, so what?  Teachers have 
enough work to do, helping them grade a test in order to help measure a 
students progress is a good thing.

It's a tool.  It's not intended to 'teach' the student anything.  The 
teachers do the teaching.

>> The key is, it is a tool.  In properly trained hands, it can make a
>> difference.  If you would like, I will schedule a day where you can  sit
>> in on my wife's class and see how a computer will enhance learning.
> 
> 
> I really would like to.  My bias is fully admitted for all to see.  I  
> think the king has no clothes.  I am a reluctant participant only  
> because I am not rich enough to write my own rules.  I did work for   a 
> private school for 2 years and had to smile and nod approvingly  while 
> PHd's went on an on about ideas that I thought were patently  absurd.  I 
> have very close and dear friends who are degreed High  school teachers 
> and  a good friend of mine has a district position in  Cherokee County.  
> I am telling you this so you will know that I am  not a lunatic that 
> would cause trouble in you school.  My beliefs  about our nations school 
> system is completely heresy to my Aunt who  taught with a PHd at Georgia 
> State until she retired recently.  But I  still think I am right and 
> they are wrong.  Please show me something  that is good about government 
> run schools.  Well, besides the people.

You sound like Neal Boortz. :)  I don't claim the system is perfect. 
There are a lot of folks who go through the system and do just fine. 
Understand, with a class of 30 students, the teacher has to teach to the 
middle, thus some will be bored, others will struggle.

I can only speak from personal experience.  My daughter has put in 9 
years in 'government schools.' She was selected to take the SAT in the 
7th grade as part of the Duke TIP program (http://www.tip.duke.edu/) and 
scored in the top 1/3 of the students selected.  She received a perfect 
score on two standardized tests in the 8th grade.  She's been reading 
above her grade level since the 1st grade and post high school level 
since the 7th grade.  She was accepted to both Wheeler and Kennesaw 
Mountain Magnet programs.  She currently attends Wheeler.

I've done my time in both private and public schools.  Okay, I'm a bit 
off the wall sometimes, but I made it through as well.

-- 
Until later, Geoffrey