"We have outdated textbooks and materials in our schools. Textbooks and materials do not correlate with the standards.
So we have outdated curriculum materials but at least we have Smartboards:
- 9/14/2010 LMES PTO donated $10,200 to LMES to purhase three new smart boards.
- 8/19/2009 LMES Site Council Approval of Tax Credit Monies used for a SmartBoard in Ms. Roger’s Room
- 5/13/2008 LMES PTO donated ...a SmartBoard valued at $2,994.00
- 4/13/2008 LMES PTO donated a SmartBoard valued at $3910.13
- 3/13/2007 Lone Mountain Elementary School PTO donated four Smart-boards from CCS Presentation Systems valued at $15,299.77.
- 6/12/2007 Lone Mountain Elementary School PTO donated one SmartBoard for art teacher Dara Sharapan, valued at $3,422.91.
- 11/3/2006 LMES PTO purchased 2 SmartBoards and 4 Airliner Projectors and other items to enhance student learning at Lone Mountain.
And who is donating the electricity to run the Smartboards, the money to buy the $300 replacement light bulbs, and the training costs to get teachers up to speed on these devices? Of course the taxpayers are and at the same time they are pleading poverty and crying over 10 year old textbooks.
Smartboards are now all the rage in all of the top east coast schools as well. If you want Arizona kids to stay competitive with the rest of their peers in other states, smart boards may be becoming a necessity although I didn't always buy into them myself. Only difference here is that the taxpayers approve the expenditure, they all go in at once (not a dribble of a classroom or two at a time), and then they are paid for by taxes.
ReplyDeleteAlso, taxpayers here are pretty good for paying for the new books and teacher trainings, too. And, the state I am in caps classroom size at 30 so that districts can't go higher even if they want to. Understand that Florida and perhaps some other states also have caps.
Would Arizona legislators even vote for classroom caps? Probably not, because then the demands for increased expenditures on schools would grow even stronger. As to curriculum adoptions, don't forget that you are in the state that pulled soft capital money away from the students and districts.
You should really focus more of your efforts on the Arizona legislature. CCUSD might have its problems, but many of them are a consequence of problems at the state level.
Totally agree... books (read: "basics") come first. Technology --second. Teachers can teach w/o technology.. or at least "should" be able to do so. Priorities are seemingly VERY backwards at CCUSD.
ReplyDeleteSmartboards are nice, sure- but we don't have the other technology to put the Smartboards to full use.
I think it is very short sighted to view the textbook "problem" as a principal cause of declining standardize test scores. Or perhaps---it's just a convenient excuse.
Smartboards are nice, sure.. but where are CCUSD's priorties?? First, we don't have the other technology components to truly make the Smartboards useful, in my opinion. Second..textbooks come before all the "fancy" stuff. I think our school district needs to adopt the slogan "Back to Basics". Like a family on a budget (which CCUSD is - or rather supposed to be), basics firsts.. if frills don't fit in, then they don't get purchased. Our children CAN live w/o Smartboards... but not textbooks!
ReplyDeleteIn most cases the District did not spend their money on SmartBoards. They are usually donated by the PTO's for the actual board, installation etc. You are all right in different aspects. We need updated content whether that comes from book, online whatever!
ReplyDelete6:56 - It is much easier for people to blame "the big bad district", than to realize that parents (not the district) were responsible for the smartboard decision.
ReplyDeleteThe good thing about smartboards is that newer curriculum can be delivered over them now.
The principals badger the PTOs and the site councils to release the money for the smart boards.
ReplyDeleteDesert Sun had the sense to spend PTO money on aides this year.
The principals are telling the PTOs how they want the money spent. The PTOs don't just decide on their own. The principal tells them what is needed and how the money should be spent.
ReplyDeleteThe PTOs are independent organizations that can make decisions regardless of Principal requests. If you as a parent feel that the PTO is spending money in ways that are not beneficial to the students, I would suggest you attend the PTO meetings, make your points and perhaps run for the PTO board.
ReplyDeleteIf you are not in the school community and this is not a possibility, perhaps you are not really an expert on whether the smartboards are helpful in the classroom or not. Perhaps you have not experienced them in action.
I wrote this the other day and it was not published but, smartboards are now the rage in the top east coast schools. Now that I am seeing how versatile they are, I can understand why. The teacher can not only put up their curriculum/class notes on the board. In the middle of a discussion, if there is a question that can't be answered, the teacher can pull up research that pertains from the net.
I have come to the conclusion that we are at an interesting crossroads with education. Many industries and jobs are completely disappearing due to automation, the internet, and overseas competition. For instance, I almost wonder why journalism departments still push the school newspaper so much. Newspapers are a dying breed. All of the journalists being turned out by schools, will not be able to make a living publishing to blogs which in many cases do not pay a wage or are not profitable to their owners.
Also, on its way out are bookstores. E-books haven't quite killed books, but the future is looking bleary.
So with books and newspapers fading, is there much need for printing press businesses anymore.
Also, try to be a writer in this economy when you are competing with writers from around the world. Business writers in the US have a tough time earning $1-$5 an hour.
Education will need to adapt to educate students for new businesses, new technologies. While I didn't see the value in smartboards myself a few years ago, I now see that every student will need to be exposed to as much technology and info as possible to be competitive in a very tough job climate. The smartboard, is the way to put a giant computer up in the front of the classroom. It is becoming a necessity.