Recently our county voted down two measures to raise funding for the schools to keep class sizes small and also improve technology and other building related expenses. While most of the teachers I've spoken to were outraged one brought up a really good point. She said that we waste so much money in the schools that people aren't likely to give us more during tough economic times like we are seeing now. At first I was shocked, but the more I thought about it the more I understand a little bit about what she was talking about. The fact that schools must "empty" their accounts and not carry money over lends itself towards wasteful spending. I also think about the way that we use technology and the way we pay for software and I really see where so much money goes.
We spend x amount of dollars per machine for the right to use Microsoft products when there are free versions which compare favorably and are accessible via web and flash drives. Just this money alone would allow us to put laptops in each students hand in a classroom, not force them to share and "team-type" The amount of money we spend on copies is enough to make even a paper manufacturer cringe, and the 6,000 spent on SMART boards when there's a $50 alternative, can't help our case.
51 ESSENTIAL PROGRAMS FOR A FREEWARE PC
Schools need the money, but we also need to be more aware and conscientious about how we are spending it if we want to make it last and if we want to model conservation during rough times.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Digital Safety and Citizenship
Digital Safety and Citizenship
Are we doing enough to keep our kids safe or are we doing too much?
It seems that the more safety precautions we take the more we are giving access to advertisers. http://tinyurl.com/5j4hge
we really need to look at this as a school and as a community. If we allow this detailed information to float out there then I think in the long run, we're making our kids more vulnerable. I'm all for responsibility and accountability for the websites to require parental involvement or approval before using their site, but shouldn't more of it fall on the shoulders of parents?
CoolCat (Vicki Davis) has a great blog post talking about this very issue
http://tinyurl.com/6fd3pd
Are we doing enough to keep our kids safe or are we doing too much?
It seems that the more safety precautions we take the more we are giving access to advertisers. http://tinyurl.com/5j4hge
we really need to look at this as a school and as a community. If we allow this detailed information to float out there then I think in the long run, we're making our kids more vulnerable. I'm all for responsibility and accountability for the websites to require parental involvement or approval before using their site, but shouldn't more of it fall on the shoulders of parents?
CoolCat (Vicki Davis) has a great blog post talking about this very issue
http://tinyurl.com/6fd3pd
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