Posted by belovedbliff on June 30, 2008 at 1:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)

This is great news. At Burke, I couldn't even get an overhead projector screen and map installed--all year.

Posted by bereal on June 30, 2008 at 7:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Mouth of the South, this is my first posting, but I saw a real need to address your comment. I totally disagree with you. I am elated that Charleston County Schools are finally stepping up to the plate. If you go to any school that uses a smart board your views will change (please take time to see the students interact esp. at the elm. school level). My children go to Dorchester District 2 schools who use smart boards as a part of daily instruction and they are worth every penny paid for them. We as a society have come beyond black boards and if we want our children to be on an even playing field we must do everything in our power to equipt them for the journey.

Posted by DanniD on June 30, 2008 at 7:21 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Mouth of the south- it is called keeping up with the times. It you want to keep children engaged in learning you have to do it with something that is familiar to them. Blackboards are outdated...children of today do not play on blackboards at home, they use computers, video games, etc. The smart boards are an excellent tool, and I have witnessed children become very involved in learning while using one.

Posted by JourneyOn on June 30, 2008 at 7:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I would certainly like to see an even distribution of equipment to all schools. How do we expect children of all socio-economic levels to have vision beyond their own neighborhoods if we do not let them have a glimpse of things that are available to them? Level the playing field for these children and we will reap benefits for years to come. No one gets to choose the family or the neighborhood they are born into but those of us who are here can choose to offer them the pathway to something different for their adult life and the lives of their future children.

I grew up poor and am thankful for the people who let me see something beyond my neighborhood and am now in a position to pay it back and pay it forward.

And "Mouth" - shank's mare works just fine so give up your car. A kettle on an open fire works so give up your microwave. Twiddling your thumbs works so give up your TV. And - I'm sure you can learn how to train homing pigeons so give up the internet.

Posted by b_xcelent on June 30, 2008 at 7:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Belovedbliff,

Are you ever satisfied? All of your comments pertaining to anything about CCSD are always negative. I would love to see the day when I read one of your comments and it is actually POSITIVE! If you really do work at Burke, which is where I am, you need to leave if you are not satisfied. Are you there for the bonus money....reveal your true identity....I wonder how many of our colleagues at Burke would respond to you negatively. Do your students get to see this sided of you? They must hate coming to you!

Posted by theronce on June 30, 2008 at 7:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Well and good, but can little Johnny and little Suzy read. Can I write this down as the fix-all to end the more money and more technology excuses for substandard performance and a near 50% graduation rate. By all means, buy it and use it to fix these basic problems. I am glad that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now. It's been a long haul, but perseverance will finally pay off.

Posted by majorjohnson on June 30, 2008 at 7:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree with mouth on this one. I learned to read and write and perform mathematics on a blackboard. As a matter of fact I actually got through my college classes with blackboards. These toys are nice, but they aren't necessary, especially in elementary school. What next? Computers and high speed wi-fi for the pre-k classes?

Posted by mlm on June 30, 2008 at 8:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)

You can really tell this is an election year with 5 of the 9 county school board seats up before the voters in November. No, I don't agree with some of these posters who are flat out against public eductation. They might as well be against public support of highways and public water systems.

I'm also not a "feel good" person about CCSD either. The fact is that this is one of the richest school districts in the state. Still it is behind both Berkeley and Dorchester on almost everything. It's rankings remain at the bottom of the state which is one of the lowest ranking states in the US. The truth is that nothing about our school system here encourages competativeness or innovation, much less excellence. I applaud the critics within Burke. They are telling the truth about the ripoff that is being done against the future of these kids. Average just doesn't cut it, honey, in this world. Especially if you're Black. CCSD gives Buist (K-8) four certified foreign language teachers, but they give Burke (8-12) none! That's not something to ignore.

I would congratulate the teachers who revealed to The Chronicle newspaper recently that at least 2 of the 27 AP Academy students enrolled in the 100 seat program didn't meet minimum qualifications. The P&C hasn't done a good job investigating any of this. CCSD made such a big deal about this program yet begins enrollment late and doesn't really back it up. This paper give the county administration mostly a free ride.

My support to the teachers who revealed that Burke lacked an SAT prep course that other high schools got. This shouldn't be about validating CCSD, it should be about making sure these students get a fair and equal opportunity to get a high quality education.

CCSD isn't looking out for these students; it's looking out for themselves. Teachers and school level administrators are just sucking up to what's wrong if they want to ferret out those how tell it like it is. At least they have the courage to shine a light on how these students are being cheated.

Let me repeat this. The story here is really about how the Post and Courier does such a poor job of investigating and reporting the truth about the gross neglect and waste by those who manage our public schools in Charleston County. I sense even the stories that are in today's paper and others published recently are watered down. They all have the feel of a news release from CCSD's public relations department. This kind of softball reporting looks like a high school newspaper, and not a very good one at that.

Posted by shoelaces on June 30, 2008 at 8:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)

theronce...sadly Johnny and Suzy don't always come to me reading. That is still the main problem. But...

I think technology is great in the classroom. Yes, we all learned on blackboards and my students still do...it's a dry erase but still. We do use the internet, video streaming, the ELMO (great tool), and the smart board. Ours are portable at our school so you can just roll it into your classroom. The only problem I have with adding technology is that we are often putting the "cart before the horse" in the classroom. Technology is great if you know how to use it. We need to be trained properly and extensively how to use this equipment. The SMART board has so much to offer but teachers need to become more proficient with using them.

In this technological age children are not impressed with "old school" methods. Unfortunately, we have to WOW them in order to keep their interest. Attention spans are shorter and anything we can use to grab their interest and keep it is a useful tool.

Computers have been in our classrooms for awhile. These too are becoming outdated and sadly are not functioning anymore as they have become old and broken or are just too expensive to repair.

I can't wait to see what we bring into the classrooms in the next 5-10 years. It is an exciting time to be alive and to be a teacher!!

Posted by 5thGenerationLocal on June 30, 2008 at 8:32 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Sounds to me like parents need to work harder so that they can get their families out of the poverty stricken areas. I know that hard work and a good bit of desire can take you places. But, if you aren't willing to work for something, why should we just give it to you?

Posted by wm123 on June 30, 2008 at 8:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I agree, mlm . . .

Every story lately about ccsd has read like a news release from the county--except those about the school board. But even those stories made me believe that this reporter is on the personal payroll of Dr. McGinley.

I am glad that we are finally hearing about some of the good things going on in ccsd--for years all we heard about was the bad . . . but now there needs to be some balance.

Posted by ln1959 on June 30, 2008 at 8:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)

majorjohnson:
You really amaze me. Being that your have the name major johnson, I take it your have been in the military and have travel around the world. But if I am wrong about my assumption, then I apologized.

I am a retired Navy W3, and I have traveled to many country over seas. But I wont to talk about a country I am not allow to say here like that starts with J. The young children over there have been using technology for a very long time. This is what has help them to advance their education and its works very well. With our country being behind in using technology to teach our children, it has cause our children to be behind J.

I was taught on the black board, but all classes I take now are taught on computers, and thats what our children need.

For my children it works well. They can find things that are not in the text book when they are doing there research. It keeps there attention and that helps the learning process.

Posted by katrenavantassle on June 30, 2008 at 9:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Mouth and theronce.....you are ALL CORRECT. First of all let me say I have had my kids and now my grandkids attend Dorchecter District 2. I know all the staff at the elementary school and middle schools very well. District 2 has had smartboards all of last year. My grandchildren in elementary school spent some time with me and I was one who sometimes helped them with homework. First of all let me say, SMARTBOARDS are for the TEACHERS not the children!!! And soon they will eliminate books all together...(Try asking to get a book sent home!!! They sometimes tell you their books are not allowed out of the classroom!)
My grandchildren came out of their classes at the end of this year, with ALL PASSING GRADES on their report cards, YET MY GRANDSON STILL CANNOT DO SIMPLE WORD PROBLEMS IN MATH and he doesn't comprehend most of the reading he has to do! He is behind his grade and should have been retained to me. But he was 'CONDITIONED' To know when he sees A CERTAIN QUESTION to look for the SITE WORD ...THEN HE KNEW WHAT "WORD" WAS THE CORRECT ANSWER BUT HE HAD NO IDEA AT ALL OF WHAT IT MEANT!!! This is why so many children give up in middle school and get into trouble. They find themselves unknowingly unprepared with the lessons.When they get stressed out they just give up and start making trouble. BINGO!!! Look at SC's drop out rates!!! IT's True!! This is why it is happening. Getting rid of the pact testing was the best thing to happen however, I am scared to see what takes it's place.

Posted by katrenavantassle on June 30, 2008 at 9:24 a.m. (Suggest removal)

1959>>>>>These smartboards are not being used as intended, but instead to make the teachers life easier. I dislike the smartboards. And I also found that while the class is being instructed on the smartboard, the PARENTS at home do not have any resources (BOOKS, Workbooks etc.) to use to help with homework. I used to wonder why they didn't teach "chapter after chapter" etc...SMARTBOARD IS WHY!!!
Teachers were advised last year to mainly focus on making sure these kids passed the pact test. The teachers also have a "homework check by" list, that is sent home that the parent has to sign each night. The homework sent home is work the child has never seen before leaving the actual "teaching" be performed by the parents! Todays' parents both work, and with dinner to be made and chores to be done, in order to get up and be at school at 7:00 am, PARENTS DON'T HAVE TIME AT NIGHT TO SPEND TWO HOURS TO TEACH THEIR CHILDREN LESSONS THAT THE SCHOOL SHOULD HAVE ALREADY DONE. Homework is work taught in class, brought home by the student so they can use the skills taught to be practiced!!! HOMEWORK IS NOT WORK FOR PARENTS TO DO!
Dont get me wrong, the TEACHERS IN DORCESTER DISTRICT 2 ARE WONDERFUL GOOD TEACHERS! They just had to follow instructions from their higher ups to keep thier jobs. AND to compare SC students with students in the "J" country is rediculous because in "J", they live in a society where the entire household, not the individual was the main effect on society, authority and property were handed down from the father to son, And alot of SC's fathers today are mostly deadbeat dads who are not even living with their children!!! Americans sould take heed of the description of family life now. The traditional family IS A DYING THING...WE NEED TO CORRECT THIS NOW BEFORE ITS TOO LATE. BOTTOM LINE, IF YOUR KIDS ARE GETTING SMARTBOARDS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS, YOU HAD BETTER CHECK UP ON JUST EXACTLY HOW MUCH THEY REALLY ARE LEARNING BECAUSE I BET YOU THEY ARE NOT ACTUALLY LEARNING ANYTHING!!!

Posted by JoanneH on June 30, 2008 at 9:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Technology is fine if it is used as a TOOL and not as a gimmick to take the place of real learning/teaching. My district has gone overboard on technology, and my observation is that the kids are seeing the gimmickry and are learning to find the shortcut way to learn.

Nothing replaces memory for learning. Nothing replaces reading. Put it up on a smart-board--it's still reading.

Be very careful of over-use of technology. It certainly can enhance but should not replace teaching or learning.

Posted by shoelaces on June 30, 2008 at 9:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)

All of the SMART boards with their ceiling mounted LCD projectors were paid for by the Buist Foundation. That is a fact - just call Sally Ballard and ask her. Maybe that is how Buist can afford more foreign language teachers. Much of their money actually comes from the foundation and from parents. Buist holds an auction each year that brings in quite a bit of money. They also have a huge amoung of parental support. THAT is the key. Parental support.

My child is not heading into Kindergarten reading. She is heading into Kindergarten ready to learn to read and is ahead of the game.

ColdBeer, you are right (as usual) that it all works better with parents. If the parents don't place any importance on education, if the parents don't have a clue what is going on at the school, if the parents don't even know the name of their child's teacher, if the parents don't care about getting out of poverty, if the parents don't want better for their children than they had for themselves....No amount of ANYTHING we do at school will make much difference.

And before you ask, NO, my child is not going to Buist. I just defend the concept of Buist because we need more schools similar to it.

Posted by katrenavantassle on June 30, 2008 at 9:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I must have missed out somewhere about not saying the "j" thing...where is that and what is that all about?
Sorry for getting crazy on this school subject but that subject has been my life for the last two years. Our taxes pay for the smartboards and the children are coming out of the school this year still not knowing what they should. It is just another sad statistic of South Carolina's School system. Parents must demand that their child learns the skills to success. It starts in Elementary School!!!

Posted by katrenavantassle on June 30, 2008 at 9:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I must retaliate and again state that some of these children in SC only have one parent at home, and that one parent has to work to pay the bills...and just that in itself leaves little time for them to "teach" a child what the school system is supposed to be doing when that time in the evening should be for love and special time together instead. Alot of these children have a parent that is deceased or in prison. They need extra help and even though the smartboard is a good idea, it is not being used properly in some cases. Just make sure that if the progress report states that your child knows the multiplication tables up to 12. That they really know that 12x12=144. If it stated that they made all 100's in the class room but only make 70's on test...that is a headsup that they are being socially promoted by the system. (The grades will average out so they get passing year end scores.) Thanks to the No Kid Left Behind...your child will be promoted to the next grade and not have the proper skills to be successful in that grade. Used to be that we double checked the poor scores brought home...well, my opinion now says parents better grab those 100's and doublecheck to see if their child really understands and knows them!!!

Posted by shoelaces on June 30, 2008 at 9:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)

NO!!!! It starts at HOME not at school.

It doesn't take a village to raise a child, it takes a family. If you aren't willing to be a family then don't reproduce.

I am my child's first and most important teacher. If I don't do my job then the teachers can't do their jobs.

Posted by drp7773 on June 30, 2008 at 9:49 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Amen Shoelaces.....................

Posted by jeff61 on June 30, 2008 at 10:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)

PARENTS DON'T HAVE TIME AT NIGHT TO SPEND TWO HOURS TO TEACH THEIR CHILDREN LESSONS THAT THE SCHOOL SHOULD HAVE ALREADY DONE. Homework is work taught in class, brought home by the student so they can use the skills taught to be practiced!!! HOMEWORK IS NOT WORK FOR PARENTS TO DO!

I can not agree with this comment more. I am so sick of the teachers sending home the school work that should have been taught in the school. Might as well just home school the kids with all the work that sent home. We don't send our work to school with are children for the teacher to do. Why are sending thier work home with the children.

Posted by drp7773 on June 30, 2008 at 10:26 a.m. (Suggest removal)

It's funny when I went to school each teacher opened the books and made you participate in each discussion, no matter the subject they would make it interesting because they would get you to think, come up with ideas how to solve a problem in other words no kid left behind. You participated or parents were called and had to come in and sit in the class to help the child learn. Now we give kids D's and pass them to the next grade because no child is left behind. These kids can barely write where you can read it, they cant make change at the Burger King, they can memorize 15 different video games, of course they dont get homework anymore so they have lots of time. They dont even have books to bring home to study with the so called parents the chapter they studied that day so they would be ready for a test. We as a whole have failed these kids by not giving them all we can of our time and knowledge. Teachers open the books and teach make the class a WOW with your expressions on the subjects, parents participate in your childrens education, visit the school, sit in the class see how the kids are behaving see what they are or should be learning. Make education more imporatant then video games. Electronics are only as good as the person that made it or it's program, junk in junk out...First kids need to learn how to use their brains to think, hands to write, then we can worry about electronics.

Posted by belovedbliff on June 30, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. (Suggest removal)

b excelent, I am so glad that your experience at Burke is a positive one.

I stand by everything I say. You may want to ask all the teachers who departed the middle school this year (as well as the ones who stayed there) if they find the experience so rewarding.

You may offer up that the ones who left did so because of bonus money (not true). You may offer up, "well, just leave." Trust me. Teachers are trying to leave, but there are no vacancies.

With regard to colleagues and students' liking me, I can only imagine that they did.

Sincerely,

Belovedbliff
Former Teacher of the Year

Posted by shoelaces on June 30, 2008 at 10:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)

jeff61 WHAT????

Homework is sent home to reinforce what HAS BEEN TAUGHT during THAT day. It isn't sent home to punish you by asking that you spend time working with your children on their education. But we are supposed to be miracle workers in the classroom when parents don't want to do their part at home. Huh?

"We don't send our work to school with are (our) children for the teacher to do." REALLY???? You would be surprised how much work is sent for me to do in my classroom. But I do it. And I usually do it without complaining. Teachers don't just teach anymore. We wear more hats during the day than most people do. And it is really interesting that when we do show how much we care and really try to get parents involved WE are usually the ones who get blamed for "picking" on a child.

It's hard to win for losing sometimes.

Posted by harlanh001 on June 30, 2008 at 10:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)

SMART boards have just become another fad that administrators can brag about as "accomplishments."

I am a big proponent of technology -- having run a successful web design business since the 5th grade -- but sometimes people just take it too far. Don't get me wrong SMART boards look nice but they fail in any real way to benefit the education garnered in the classroom. More over, the expense of installing them is a distraction of much needed funds for other aspects of a good education... say recruiting the best teachers and paying them a descent salary (that keeps up with the cost of living) or on supplies for classroom use.

The problem in Charleston County is not the disparity between the number of SMART board-equipped public classrooms in Mt. Pleasant and James Island. The problem is a lack of understanding of what the problems are.

For eight years I attened a local private school that in my last three years there put a heavy emphasis on SMART boards, and let me just tell you... the things promote lax note taking practices.

I am now a student at Porter-Gaud, where SMART boards have been installed in some classrooms but a full scale roll out has not occurred --and probably won't -- I think because the ends do not justify the means. And being a student who has experienced both teaching environments, I prefer the classical approach and am happy PG has appropriated IT funds to projects that will actually HELP students.

~Harlan

Posted by Newt on June 30, 2008 at 10:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)

More and more of my child’s reports are technology based. Whatever we can do to increase our children’s education and prepare them for real world employment the better.

Best way to start is to change our state constitution to read "provide an excellent education" instead minimally adequate"!

Mouth - do you still work? I'm pretty sure my office requires IT knowledge and when I interview technology capabilities are a must!

Posted by harlanh001 on June 30, 2008 at 10:57 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Newt, how does a SMART board "increase our children’s education?"

Posted by tatiasc1 on June 30, 2008 at 10:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)

We have only one smartboard and 5 lcd projectors at Burns
Elementary

Other schools have 100 times more equipment

Posted by jeff61 on June 30, 2008 at 11:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)

But we are supposed to be miracle workers in the classroom when parents don't want to do their part at home. Huh?

Oh,, so since I am suppose to do "my part" which is doing the teachers job,, how do I go about getting "my part" of the pay check from the Board of Education

Posted by oldglory on June 30, 2008 at 11:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)

JourneyOn - Well said, particularly the enlightening response to "Mouth"!

I know I'm a heck of lot older than any other elders here, but I'm stunned by their 'blackboard' responses. You know, of course, that these same kids when graduated will earn more money than you ever earned at your first jobs. College-educated, majorjohnson? Your comment certainly doesn't make you sound so. And theronce, SC government keeps these children (hmmm can't really use the term I'd like to use) under its thumb.

Any government that does not 'upgrade' its educational system and sloughs off the poor, underprivileged, etc., is setting itself up for total, monumental failure. Just as JouneyOn said, are you 'blackboard' proponents ready to turn in your fancy car, microwave and internet? Everyone needs to work to have these luxuries, but in order to work in today's world one must be taught and learn with the use of current technology.

Frankly, I think it a crime that Mt. Pleasant has so many smart boards (regardless of whether the parents or the government paid for them), while a a school in a less affluent section has to share two smart boards. It's also a comment by both citizens and government as to what is really thought.

CB is seldom incorrect. He has a very intriguing way with his opinions.

My 'amens' also, shoelaces.

Posted by ptmama73 on June 30, 2008 at 11:14 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The smartboard allows teachers to be very interactive with students and, from my observation during visits to my child's classes, the students get excited and tend to really participate in lessons that are given on the smartboard.

The smartboard is truly amazing when utilized to its fullest extent. When they were 1st introduced into my youngest child's DD2 school, they had classroom meetings with the parents and we got to participate in a lesson being taught with the board and we were left in awe.

Posted by mrsmomofthree on June 30, 2008 at 11:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I work in DD2 and have a Smartboard and I LOVE IT!! My students love the Smartboard. In the morning before class begins they can play interactive games ranging from math equations to interactive map games. They are wonderful. We can also give tests on the Smartboard using "clickers". The students get immediate results and so does the teacher. A blackboard is not the tool that is effective or ineffective, neither is the Smartboard. Effective starts with the teacher.

Posted by shoelaces on June 30, 2008 at 11:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Why would someone have any children if they wanted to leave it up to someone else to teach them? YOU are your child's MOST IMPORTANT teacher, not his/her classroom teachers.

I am in awe of what my child learns each and every day. We talk about things and discuss them. She asks such great questions and together we answer them. We are both better people and better citizens for that. We are missing so much when we don't take time to teach our children and learn together.

Do I expect her teachers to help her learn to read and write? Yes because that is their job. But it is my job at home to ensure that she is progressing adequately. If she does not then it is also my job to find out why and work as a team with the teacher to solve the problem.

I feel very sorry for my students when they don't proper parental support at home. They are already at a disadvantage in life and it's only elementary school.

And you will get your part of the paycheck from the Board of Education one day. When your child graduates from high school. When your child graduates from college and maybe even graduate school. THAT is when you will be paid back all that you have put into your child's education.

We get out of something exactly what we are willing to put into it. And if we are not part of the solution then we are part of the problem.

Posted by mrsmomofthree on June 30, 2008 at 11:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)

I feel your pain Kat.... I am a teacher in DD2. We don't send home books because the kids destroy them and they don't take them home. They stay in the lockers or get lost. Alot of us don't use books because they are not effective resources. The main information is gone over in the classroom.

As teachers we have had to stop giving homework because they don't do it. Grades are so low because no work is done. We have to give 50's or 60's when the student earned a whopping 16. What are we teaching them. Don't do work we will give it to you anyway???

We have to then figure out how we will get work done in the classroom. Buist is great in a marshmallow world. The truth is the majority of the schools are having to deal with reality and that the majority of families are not involved. We need to make it mandatory for parents to have some involvement. Especially if their child is a disciplinary problem or academically challenged.

Posted by mrsmomofthree on June 30, 2008 at 11:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Bravo Shoelaces!! Bravo!!

Posted by chas_chat on June 30, 2008 at 11:36 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Kudos Shoelaces!

I am a special education teacher in a Title 1 school with little to no parental involvement despite our efforts. Our school has one smartboard and all of our children would benefit from the placement of this technology in their classrooms as they are not going to be exposed to it in the home environment. I am encouraged to see CCSD stepping up to provide what our children have needed for a long while now. Anyway that we can engage these children and provide a learning experience is a move in the right direction. Progress is progress and I will take this opportunity straight to the classroom to provide what these kids are not getting at home!

Posted by jeff61 on June 30, 2008 at 11:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Posted by shoelaces on June 30, 2008 at 11:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Why would someone have any children if they wanted to leave it up to someone else to teach them? YOU are your child's MOST IMPORTANT teacher, not his/her classroom teachers.

I believe in several cases it is probably best that some children are not educated by the "parent" or whoever the guardian may be. You will find many examples of these “parents” in the paper everyday. In these cases the only hope the kid has is to learn what they are taught in the school and the teacher is the most important person.

Posted by ln1959 on June 30, 2008 at 11:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Katrenavantassle;
After reading your post, I truly agree with your on the fact that these smart boards should be used to teach the children, and not just assist the teachers.
I also agree that many family do only have one parent in the house hold and can't spend two hours teaching what the school should have.

So where do we go from here with our school systems. I have seen kids come home and spend 4 hours on home work. The only time I have spent studying like that was in College and I took a break every two hours.

Posted by jeff61 on June 30, 2008 at 11:44 a.m. (Suggest removal)

You would be surprised how much work is sent from home for me to do in my classroom. But I do it. And I usually do it without complaining.

So how many children have brought a engine into the class room for you to rebuild, how many groceries do you bagged throughout the day, how many yards do you go out and maintian.. No wonder the teachers don't have time to teach and have to send all home for the parents to do.

Posted by Newt on June 30, 2008 at 11:45 a.m. (Suggest removal)

harlan - you go to Porter Gaud - you don't have a dog in this hunt. The day you have to attend Burke High School or Haut Gap on Johns Island, then you can committ on what our PUBLIC SCHOOLS need.

Posted by halfsheli on June 30, 2008 at 11:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Technology IS important. For those of you who vow that you learned to read and write just fine with a blackboard, I would ask how long ago you went to school. I, too, learned with just a whiteboard (just past those blackboard days). BUT, I also was not required to take the same kind of technology courses -- one semester of computer literacy (using DOS).

Today is very different, however. Technology permeates our society much, much more than even 20 years ago. Most citizens whine that schools aren't preparing kids for college or the workforce, then whine about how schools are trying to do just that. Using and teaching technology IS preparing kids for life beyond school. Ancient Roman scribes learned to read and write with much more primitive tools than a blackboard. Why don't we just get out the papyrus???

Also, Smartboards and other interactive technology engages students more in learning. They perk up in class. I know, I know, when you were in school no one tried to perk you up, you just did it. But today's kids are no more like you than those who graduated 20, 30, 40, 50 years before you. There is no real comparison there.

Posted by Newt on June 30, 2008 at 11:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Several things I know to be true:

Teachers are not paid enough.
Our state does NOT spread all resources throughout all schools.
Parents are not as involved as they need to be.
Troublesome students are not disciplined soon enough or hard enough.
Our state constitution only affords minimally adequate for our public schools.
We will not be prosperous as a state until we focus on education.
We spend more on prisons than we do on schools.

Tell me what we are to do about all this?

Posted by halfsheli on June 30, 2008 at 11:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)

also, I can guarantee that the Smartboard helps in my classroom. My ninth graders love using the board themselves. It is not just a tool to make my life easier. It makes school more fun. BUT, it is actually MORE work for me to revise lesson plans to include interactive Smartnoard technology.

Posted by shoelaces on June 30, 2008 at 11:58 a.m. (Suggest removal)

As an elementary teacher my kids rarely have more than an hour of homework. As they progress through the grades they will have more homework. We did. Assigning excessive homework is ridiculous as it is not intended to be a complete rehash of the daily assignment.

The majority of them do their homework because I place consequences on them if it is not done.

The best technology our students can have is what a good 2 parent family can offer. Unfortunately (MOMOFTHREE) this too is living in a marshmallow world. Parental involvement is the key. And yes, jeff61, I agree with you that not all parents are the best role models for their children. But guess what??? I can't do it all in the classroom either. You have no idea how inadequate I feel at times when I have children who struggle just to get up to their grade level. Some never do. And their parents don't really seem bothered by it. SMART board or no SMART board...it doesn't matter in SOME cases.

I like the idea of requiring parents to come to school. Especially for those who are discipline problems. We all have those one or two kids each year who make it difficult if not impossible to teach. And when they are absent...well you know how those days go :)

Until we have a society full of responsible adults raising responsible children who value education nothing will improve.

Posted by Charles_Town on June 30, 2008 at 12:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Schools should keep up with the technology as best they can and use new tools for learning.

Posted by halfsheli on June 30, 2008 at 12:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

"PARENTS DON'T HAVE TIME AT NIGHT TO SPEND TWO HOURS TO TEACH THEIR CHILDREN LESSONS THAT THE SCHOOL SHOULD HAVE ALREADY DONE. Homework is work taught in class, brought home by the student so they can use the skills taught to be practiced!!! HOMEWORK IS NOT WORK FOR PARENTS TO DO!"

Very true, but if parents don't help at home in the form of HOMEWORK and PRACTICE, some students will still get lost. School is hard. There is no way that ALL students can learn all they need to know and practice and study all they need to practice and study at school.

Guess what parents??? It IS your responsibility to make sure your kids are learning what they need to learn. As a teacher, I'll give you the information and the methods. I'll even put in time in tutoring and helping and proofreading and whatever else I need to do for any of my 100 or so students each year. I can not replace parents though. Unless you want me to come over to your house and check Poopsie's homework and make sure he goes to bed early enought to be up for school the next day...

Posted by halfsheli on June 30, 2008 at 12:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I'm SO with shoelaces on the homework thing. I spend 90 minutes each day with each student providing them with information, guidance, and support. But, some need more. That's where parents come in. If you want to make sure that your child is learning what they need to know and is succeeding in obtaining his (and perhaps your) goals, then YOU need to be at home making sure it happens for the other 23.5 hours of the day that I am not there.

Posted by shoelaces on June 30, 2008 at 12:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I do have a car to maintain, groceries to buy and put away, a house to run and yard to maintain, a husband and a child to take care of. Don't forget the cat!

Jeff61 - I don't think I made my point clear. Let me try again. I don't have to rebuild an engine, sometimes I have to rebuild a child. That child whose parent didn't come home last night and wasn't there this morning. The child with a raging fever but was sent to school anyway. The child who doesn't know whose house he/she is going to stay in tonight. The child whose DSS case worker is about to put him/her into foster care splitting up the family. The child whose mom is being beaten by an abusive boyfriend. and then I am supposed to teach with all these different issues flying around the room. And then you discover that every single phone number you have for that child doesn't work or nobody is there to answer the phone.

Every teacher reading these posts understands what I just said. And it starts up the next day.

That's why teaching is a tough job. Because it's many jobs rolled up into one. And with only one paycheck.

Posted by Early on June 30, 2008 at 12:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

The point is that whether you agree about the smart boards or not, the problem lies with the distribution of your tax dollars to the schools. i have said many times that there is a huge inequity in the dispersion of money for the school. Why do schools in Mt Pleasant have newer buses than those on John's Island? The Tax base WAS suppose to be distributed toward equal funds per child not who knows who which is where it is today. I believe if the,,,,,,wealth was spread equally, some of the learning issues would disappear.

Posted by Newt on June 30, 2008 at 12:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Ramen - Early

Posted by shoelaces on June 30, 2008 at 12:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Early-

Good point. Another issue is when we have families flocking to certain schools to get away from their home school for whatever reasons. (present company included) This lowers attendance at some schools and artificially inflates scores at the others. This is a HUGE problem in the district.

Be careful!! They may want to remove the "cap" to close that "gap." Then the taxes go even higher than they already are.

Poor schools get less than rich schools. We may get Title 1 money but it still does not compare. Money doesn't fix it anyway. Parenting does.

Posted by Early on June 30, 2008 at 12:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

shoelaces, my wife teaches at a title one and has to buy basic school supplies for herself and the students. Why is it some schools have 41 smartboards and some have to buy their own copy paper? This practice is very prevalant in the south and hence this is why the south is always at the bottom of the barrel with education as a whole. Her school is over populated so it's not a numbers thing. The building has to be paid for and maintenance is low so where does it go? The cycle continues in which the parents cannot teach or help the child because they never made it past 5th grade and the child does not learn and becomes a parent and the cycle starts again. Hence our high social assistance needs. It is soooo wrong.

Posted by jeff61 on June 30, 2008 at 12:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Ok, Now I see what you mean by what is sent from home to you with the child. These are the cases I am referencing where you would not want these people teaching anything to the kids or having them to start with. I still stand katrenavantassle statement about home work and the amount sent home. I did not receive training to become a teacher so expecting me to become one at home is not realistic.

Posted by shoelaces on June 30, 2008 at 12:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Early
I can relate to your wife's siguation. I buy some of our supplies too. We do get that $250 check each year to spend on our classes so it doesn't hurt as much. Although, I am curious to see if we get that check this year.

It all depends on what the school is spending its money on. Some schools allocate money to "buy" teachers to lower class sizes. This happens in my school. I think at one time I was one of the purchases!

I don't have any answers just suggestions. As for the cycle continuing that is probably the biggest problem. As long as society continues to pay people to stay home and have babies then there will be no incentive to receive an education. Why work when I don't have to?

As for how it's done in other states, I can't speak to that. SC is where I have always taught and always lived. Something is going to have to give eventually but I don't know how much can be changed as long as we don't hold people accouontable for money and people responsible for their children.

**I am really enjoying everyone's comments on this today. There are a lot of interesting views and things to think about.

Posted by shoelaces on June 30, 2008 at 12:55 p.m. (Suggest removal)

wpc, I agree completely :) That comment is probably the best summary of ALL of our comments combined!!

jeff61 - You shouldn't have to teach the lessons to your child. The teacher should do that in the classroom. Depending on the age of your child your job at home is to ensure that your child has a place to complete homework, that hoomework is done, and that it is done correctly. If there is something your child is having difficulty with then you should be able to offer assistance - again, this depends on the age and level of difficulty of the work. I dread when my child hits the really hard work in the future!! If homework is still a problem then it may be time to talk to the teacher and see what is going on.

Please talk to your child's teacher when there is a concern. It makes our jobs soooo much easier when there is good communication with home.

Posted by jeff61 on June 30, 2008 at 1:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)

jeff61 - You shouldn't have to teach the lessons to your child. The teacher should do that in the classroom.
That is the point I am making. I feel with the amount of homework sent home with no guidance, I am the one teaching the leasons. I for one am at a loose at what kids are being taught today. Some of these "work sheets" sent home make no sense at all.

Posted by asdpe on June 30, 2008 at 1:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)

halfsheli and shoelaces.......you're right on with this topic. I'm a teacher, so is my husband, and we've seen all of this first hand, INCLUDING the positive impact that Smartboards have with today's technology-focused students. And getting "lectured" on here by a high school student? Please. I love it (note the sarcasm) when a student knows so much better than trained education professionals about what is best to do in the classroom.

Posted by jeff61 on June 30, 2008 at 1:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I must confess my kid has always been a pain to teach, not that he is disruptive, he is just difficult to teach which is why I must reley on the teachers training to overcome this. I am surprised to learn that some teachers are not given training in this area or it seems that way. Hence the fact they are sent home with an overwhelming amount of SCHOOL WORK for me to attempt teach.

Posted by shoelaces on June 30, 2008 at 1:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

jeff61

My only suggestion again would be to have a conversation with the teacher. I don't know what age or grade level your child is in so I can't comment on the amount of work your child gets. Again, I would suggest a conversation with the teacher to see what is going on with the homework.

Is your child getting the classwork finished? In some cases my kids end up taking classwork home as well as homework when it does not get completed in class. Is the teacher assigning too much homework? Is your child struggling academically? !!!!! I am not picking on you or your child. I am not finger pointing, just typing out loud. You sound frustrated with the situation so maybe talking to your child and the teacher could be a helpful start.

Just some thoughts...

asdpe....LOL...I am just impressed a high school kid reads the paper!!!!

Posted by Newt on June 30, 2008 at 1:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)

jeff - heres one for you....all the terms they use are completely different than the ones we learned. So, when I get the homework and I start to assist my child she can not understand me and I haven't a clue what she is talking about.

Posted by harlanh001 on June 30, 2008 at 1:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Newt, way to side step my question.

I go to PG because public education is so lacking in my part of Charleston County (Hollywood). That condition will stay true as long as people think that a technology can be used like a magic wand on a truly flawed system. My parents have to pay twice for educating me and my three siblings, so I will say that I have a pretty big dog in this fight.

I will again ask the question, how do SMART boards solve the issue of poor education?

Posted by shoelaces on June 30, 2008 at 1:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

SMART boards don't solve the issue of poor education.

Parenting solves the issue of poor education.

SMART boards can be used to enhance the learning that goes on in the classroom.

Posted by chas_chat on June 30, 2008 at 1:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

harlan-
Nice excuse too! I went to a public CCSD school and then to college and finished a Masters. Your parents choose to pay and PG has more than its share of issues so lets not open that can of worms.
As far as your question, a SMART board does not solve the issue but is a tool we can use to continue to improve our education system. It is not going to improve over night.

Posted by JAMJOH on June 30, 2008 at 1:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Yeah harlan maybe you haven't considered that not all parents can afford to pay $17,000 a year to send their children to pg. I'm not quite sure that you've been truly exposed to the public school system here, and the conditions of those schools. So I'm with Newt on this one, you really don't "have a dog in this hunt" buddy.

Posted by Newt on June 30, 2008 at 1:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

harlan - several educators have already posted on the advantages of SMART boards. I am not an educator; therefore I do not feel qualified to discuss their advantages.

I know well why parents take their children out of public school. I have had to pull my youngest out of the public system and send her to private next year. I also have a child in the system at Buist (got in the honest way after a 3 year wait). My mother works in the system and can attest to all the horrors of public schools and to all the joy she sees with the successes.

However, until we address the "white flight" from our public schools and the money, the qualified teachers and the quality students that the "white flight" took with it we will never be able to address the true issues facing out state public education.

Minimally adequate is not acceptable....and that is what our state constitution says!

BTW - I am sooo glad you are getting a quality education and I hope that by the time you have children you will not be forced to pay a private school to educate them.

Posted by lou9 on June 30, 2008 at 1:47 p.m. (Suggest removal)

This is just another example of what's wrong with public education. Wasting taxpayer's money on something else that won't work. Kids in elementary and middle schools should be taught how to use that computer in their head called a brain and teachers should be allowed to teach and not have to do the work of some overpaid administrator. Get rid of the troublemakers and the parents that treat public schools like they are day care centers.

Posted by halfsheli on June 30, 2008 at 1:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)

harlan --

SmartBoards alone do not solve the problem of poor education. Smartboards are the example of technology that is being used in this article. I believe the gist of the article is the disparity in all technology availabillities amongst CCSD schools.

As a student of private school, I doubt you've ever been charged with the task of motivating and teaching unmotivated students who are behind in their reading skills by at least two or three grade levels. I have. It is my charge to take these students and bring them up to grade level so they can pass the English I EOC -- oh, and so that they can read. In that charge, one benefit of the SmartBoard is that it engages students in the lessons. They become -- even if for a moment -- interested and they pay atention, thereby learning. That is one small way in which the use of SmartBoards can help solve poor education.

Posted by Newt on June 30, 2008 at 1:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

lou9 - not all parents in the public system are bad....

I find it hard to attend every PTA meeting for 2 separate schools and when I do attend I am embarrassed by the way the parents behave. No respect for parliamentary procedures, talking on their cell phones while someone is speaking. Allowing their children to talk and play during the meeting.

I've gotten to the point that I can barely stand to attend one a year. I am heavily involved with homework and projects, but I cannot stand being at those meetings.

Buist's meetings are much more respectful and organized...our local elementary school's PTA is a disgrace.

Posted by lou9 on June 30, 2008 at 2:06 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Newt - I didn't say all parents with children in public schools are bad. Like most situations 90% of the problems are caused by 10% of the people. Most parents do care about the quality of their children's education and get involved one way or another. Usually the children that are causing the trouble in schools have the parents who think that school is just a place to dump them off every day for a few hours so they don't have to deal with them. Those are the ones I'm talking about. John Graham Altman said many years ago when he was on the school board that if you want to get rid of trouble in schools, get rid of the troublemakers.
Again, Newt, most of the PTA's I'm sure are good organizations. Some, like the one you refer to are just like the school boards: a lot of hot air and no action.

Posted by mrsmomofthree on June 30, 2008 at 2:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I grew up in Charleston County schools and now my kids are a product of these schools. I have pulled my middle schooler out of CCSD because the middle schools SUCK!! I feel that we need to focus more on parental involvement and having parents have to face consequences of the repeat offenders. I am a teacher and the biggest problem in the classroom is discipline and motivation. I had to stop giving homework because the grades were terrible. I had a 75% failure so I had to figure out how to get these kids to do work. Parents would not come to conferences but at the end of the year they were "shocked"!! Come on people. I have children and I know what is going on in their lives.

Smartboards are not the answer they are a tool in education.

The answer starts at home. If we don't make parents responsible for their children nothing will change.

Posted by Newt on June 30, 2008 at 2:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)

lou - I know so many parents that attend every meeting and are vested in their children's education. However, their children are not able to learn because of the disruptive students.
It is a vicious circle – parents don’t care the children don’t care…and around round they go, where they stop only the court system knows!

Posted by ptmama73 on June 30, 2008 at 2:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

katrenavantassle, any parent or family member is welcome to observe in any classroom at any time (DD2) - without notifying the teacher prior to visiting. Almost every time we have "visited" we have received an e-mail from the teacher thanking us for taking the time to come in and support our children's education. I would highly recommend that you or the parent(s) of your grandchildren do the same since it is a very enlightening experience.

I, personally, have no problems whatsoever with DD2 and the education being provided using the smartboard. My youngest left kindergarten reading on a 2nd grade level. During 3rd grade his class learned basic geometry and were working on basic algebra expressions the last month of school - with the help of the smartboards interactive feature. Maybe his teachers were just utilizing the board to its capacity?

Bravo to CCSD for realizing what a great asset these boards really are.

Posted by Early on June 30, 2008 at 2:39 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I SEE the frustration of some of these post that I endure at home with my wife. She tells me horror stories of how she is not allowed to hold a child back, even with a GPA in the 30's because the district will not allow it. Kids in here class read and write like a first grader and she is FORCED to send them through. By middle school the kids are sooooo far out there in terms of learning, they get involved in drugs, crime and early pregnancies. And it starts again.

Posted by Lovely_One on June 30, 2008 at 3:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Education does begin at home, but it is also supposed to be continued at school. Also, any parent that cares about what their child is learning and interested in making sure that their child is actually learning and obtaining what is being taught will gladly take an active role in the child's school and homework.

I am proud to say that all of my children have entered school (be it pre-school or K-5) knowing how to spell and/or write their name (writing was dependent on whether I put them in Headstart or not. If they did go to Headstart, I taught them how to write it before going). My 2 year old can recognize her name and can tell you what her name begins with.

As far as the SMART board goes, if this allows us to compete with the rest of the world as far as educating our children is concerned, I say go for it. However, parents need to step up and help fund this project. And about the kids not bringing the school books home, that irritates me as well. I cannot not stand not having the book to refer to when I am helping my kids with their homework. How in the world are the parents going to know what is being taught and if what they are telling the child is accurate if we don't even have a friggin book to refer to?

Posted by jeff61 on June 30, 2008 at 3:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Posted by shoelaces on June 30, 2008 at 1:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

jeff61

My only suggestion again would be to have a conversation with the teacher.

He actually gets good grades it is just a pain in the azz struggeling through all this SCHOOL WORK for him to get the grade. Yes I have communicated to the teacher about the work load and heard a loud sneaker as if yea right you expect us to cover all this in school,we need to send it home for you to do it. We are too busy playing with our Smart Boards. Maybe if they sent a Smart Board home that would solve the problem.

Posted by Mayor on June 30, 2008 at 3:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Can you imagine anyone saying "I learned on a blackboard"?

That's why he's in the shape he's in. Stupid is as stupid does. Why doesn't James Island get in the "now"?

Children learn at home more than they do at school. If you child in an underachiever, so are you. School is easy, education is hard.

50% drop out rate for Charleston County. Who cares? 100% of those were not fit to go to school anyway. Call Dot Scott.

I'm all for a first grade entrance exam, if the kids can't pass, we'll give it to the parents. If they don't pass, see ya!

Posted by sunset1 on June 30, 2008 at 3:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I have two children at Pinckney in Mt. Pleasant and they both had a Smart Board in their rooms. They each enjoyed lessons using the Smart Board. Our tax dollars did not pay for the Smart Board at our school. Each student was asked to contribute $150 and the PTA held fund raisers as well to cover the cost. Some local businesses also donated money.

Posted by Mayor on June 30, 2008 at 3:19 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Grammatical errors at this time is not good. Sorry. I can't type any better than I can think, as you can see, and already know.

Posted by Newt on June 30, 2008 at 3:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Come on Mayor - with your way of thinking children with disabilities should be allowed to go to school.

Posted by Newt on June 30, 2008 at 3:29 p.m. (Suggest removal)

not be allowed. oops

Posted by shoelaces on June 30, 2008 at 4:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)

jeff61 it just sounds like your child's teacher doesn't care. I don't know. I don't have the answer foryou. I am glad to know your child gets good grades.

Using the SMART board as an effective tool takes time and training. It isn't the easiest piece of equipment to use. There are so many different things you can do with it...if properly trained. If I had one in my room I would want extensive training on how to best use it...if not, then I wouldn't want it as a fixture in my room.

Lovely One..."Education does begin at home, but it is also supposed to be continued at school."

I agree with your statement. BUT teachers have to walk a very fine line as to what we can and can not teach. Trust me, the minute we cross that invisible line in a parent's eyes we are the target with a huge bull's eye on our backs. It is really easy to get a parent to come in when they think their child has done nothing wrong.

Newt...the white flight you mention is exactly what has happened to MANY of our schools. It has happened in my school. My own child is an example of this. She will not attend any of her home schools.

Something has got to give when it comes to many of the CC schools. Maybe with McGinley in charge things will get better. Who knows? I don't think it will change in time for me to risk my child's education and put her into a "failing" school.

Posted by mlm on June 30, 2008 at 4:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

...and Shoelaces, what exactly are you doing to ensure that there are more opportunities like Buist available to elementary students currently assigned to failing schools. Please don't tell me about NCLB since Buist isn't taking even qualified students under this rule. I'd like to know what teachers are supposed to do who work in schools that don't have a Buist Foundation or can't screen for more desirable students as your principal has put it. Please tell me what you are doing to spread the wealth of this program so that others might benefit and follow this example. So far the county school board has only said to downtown parents, "Why don't you start your own Buist?" In spite of what one board member said to the P&C, Memminger isn't going to get the same staffing that Buist currently has. Please enlighten me, Shoelaces.

Posted by Lovely_One on June 30, 2008 at 4:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

shoelaces,

When I said continued at school, I was referring to the academic portion of it. I understand what you are saying about some parents not wanting teachers to step over the invisible line. Those are usually the parents of the the kids with the worst grades and even worse behavior. They are usually the parents whose toes are being stepped on because Mrs. Jones was trying to teach little Johnny and Suzie basic manners and discipline. However, I do agree with you wholeheartedly on everything you have been saying.

Posted by jsks on June 30, 2008 at 4:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Your education system is only as good as the community that supports it. This includes money and time for those wondering. Until South Carolina and the country rethink education financing so kids in James Island or Burke HS don't get left out in the cold, this will be headline in every corner of the country. The biggest contributing factors to a child's success in school is his/her parental involvement and his/her socioeconomic status, plain and simple.

I think the new technology is extremely important and to anyone on this chat board that disagree's should look at where the world is moving. I know folks in the South like to hold on to tradition, but tomorrow's jobs will require greater skills and a HS diploma just wont cut it anymore. Here is a story that was posted on Yahoo today.

http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/career-articles...

Technology doesn't matter? Why don't you tell that to the recent graduate now working in Charlotte making 80K a year?

Posted by charlestonpride on June 30, 2008 at 4:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)

mlm, you don't know what you are talking about when it comes to Buist. There are only so many seats in each grade level and in that grade level there are 4 equal groups filling those seats. It's all the luck of the dice if you get a good number in kindergarden. Number 30 on any waiting list pretty much means your child will never go to that school. I agree that there needs to be another school just like Buist.
My children were CCSD students and they did great because I pushed them to excel. I encourged them to participate in sports and ran by butt off going to the library, sports practices, games, PTA and any thing else that was required of me being a good parent. I knew the who, what, and where with them. Who they were with, what they were doing and where they were. I told them that until they were 18, they belonged to me. No body- art and no male piercings. (They both have tatoos now, but they are adult, productive and law abiding citizens) Teaching morals and good citizenship should be done at home, so that when your children do enter school, they will be ready to behave so that they can learn. Nuff said!

Posted by harlanh001 on June 30, 2008 at 4:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I never said that all parents could or should send their child to a private school... quite to the contrary! I wish my parents did not have to sacrifice to put four kids through 12 years of private education, just to turn around and worry about college! My dad was just saying the other day that he has not been a vacation since 1995.

So, please don't misunderstand me. I want public education to be the best it can be. But, we need to improve the schools at the most fundamental levels before worrying about luxuries. As I am currently a student who has actually used the luxeries in question for many years, I wish that you would at least consider my perspective instead of harping on the fact that I am privately educated.. it is a meaningless distraction.

oh, and Chas_Chat... no school is perfect.

Posted by buff_o_rilla on June 30, 2008 at 4:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I can see it now, Students of today wont be able to function unless they have a smartboard, computer or a calculator. Im sure all these things have a place, But unless people are taught on pencil and paper and are required to show how they have resolved a problem through theory or rational thinking all the technology that you give them just turns out to be a crutch.

Posted by jsks on June 30, 2008 at 5:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Buff...It's not that computers have a place and that students can't function without them, it's that computers, technology and information will be the currency of the future. Computers just aren't things students use, they are things the world depends on to advance. That's the problem with this generation. You are always framing the argument around the student rather than preparing them for the job market. Our education system is antiquated and can no longer prepare our kids for the jobs of the future. We need to better align our education system to the real world needs by analyzing and communicating the academic, skill, and training needs of emerging and high growth business and industry sectors by providing public schools with easy access to labor markets analysis and information that will inform programming and planning decisions....all done....you guessed it...ON A COMPUTER.

Posted by Mayor on June 30, 2008 at 5:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Think how much less you actually use a pen on paper?

When you sign your checks, do look at your signature and think what the heck is that?

Show your work! Remember that? That was scary. I couldn't comprehend some of the work our lower level math teachers see.

Give your clerk at the gas station $22 on a purchase of $11.56 and see the dilemma you'll cause her. The guys aren't hired because they drink all the beer.

If you really want a chuckle look at some of the high school students applications for summer jobs. One guy said his fluent foreign language was English.

ALL technology is great. All TEACHERS are the Greatest!

Posted by halfsheli on June 30, 2008 at 5:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I don't think that up-to-date technology is a luxury. It IS fundamental. If the public schools hope to compete with schools like PG, technology is essential.

Also, many of you harp on one end of the spectrum of students. Yes, there are TOO many who are not reading and writing on grade level. BUT, there are also many who are extremely successful. Along with my "low level" students, I also teach honors / IB students. Don't these hard-working and successful students deserve the "luxury" of technology if they hope to enter some of our highest-achieving universities?

Either way, I can tell you that the spending of money on technology is NOT what is taking away from the fundamentals of public education. Want to save money? Eliminate 25-30% of the highest paid paper-pushers at 75 Calhoun. Want to run CCSD efficiently? Eliminate the beaucracy and meaningless testing that do not enhance education -- they only serve to make politicians feel and sound better.

Posted by belovedbliff on June 30, 2008 at 6:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)

And now Randy Bynum is leaving the district. . .

Posted by majorjohnson on June 30, 2008 at 6:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I got my degree in chemical engineering in 1989. I was taught on a freaking blackboard. If you can learn chemical engineering, physics and advanced mathematics without a smartboard a freaking 5th grader doesn't need one to learn to read and perform basic mathematics. This is nothing but fluff. The kids in foreign countries kick our kids buts scholastically, learning on blackboards. India produces huge numbers of computer programmers, engineers and mathematicians using blackboards. But for some reason we need smartboards to teach elementary school kids basic math or reading skills. This is a croc.

Posted by mlm on June 30, 2008 at 6:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Oh, but I do know what I'm talking about when it comes to Buist. I'm still waiting for anyone to tell me who's working to give us more such schools instead of defending the limited seats at that one. I've heard enough of the defenders, the apologists and the those giving it cover. Just tell me what CCSD is doing to bring equity to the schools they have just down the street from Buist. The silence says it all. Until I hear something with substance, I'm for going charter on every school. Then maybe we can cut out all the waste at the administrative levels.

PS: Is Randy Bynum really leaving? What's the story on this one?

Posted by shoelaces on June 30, 2008 at 7:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

MLM...you said, "I'd like to know what teachers are supposed to do who work in schools that don't have a Buist Foundation or can't screen for more desirable students as your principal has put it."

My principal is not screening for more desirable students. As a matter of fact all of our "more desirable" students are going to other schools as part of the white flight mentioned earlier.

As for how kids get into Buist it seemed legitimate to me. You put your name in. There are four lists to fill. Either your kid's name gets picked or it doesn't. Your child tests in or out. They get 10 kids from each list and make two kindergartens. Buist isn't set up to take NCLB kids in the traditional way. As a matter of fact, ANY child in CCSD can try enrolling. Even those from "excellent" rated schools.

What am I doing to spread the wealth....nothing I guess. Just busting my butt trying to teach children of parents who have no business or desire (in some cases, not all) to raise productive citizens.

Posted by southeastsm on June 30, 2008 at 7:07 p.m. (Suggest removal)

OKAY - DOES ANYBODY KNOW DETAILS ABOUT RANDY BYNUM LEAVING? IF SO, COULD YOU PLEASE POST.

Posted by halfsheli on June 30, 2008 at 7:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Not a croc. Those of us who deal with the harsh realities of actually being in a classroom and those that surround the profession seem to understand that. I know that everyone will not agree. I also know that students can learn without SmartBoards and other forms of technology. I also know that those of you who walked ten miles uphill in the snow to your one-room school house to learn by writing on blackboards and learning mathmatics by using your abacuses (abacusi?!?!?!?) are able to still function in today's technologically advanced world. But, the only reason you can is because those skills weren't required of you when you began your careers and because you have attended workshops, seminars, classes to introduce you to the technology. How does someone new to your profession compete? By coming to the profession with that knowledge already.

All technology in schools is not to "teach basic math and reading skills". Sometimes, we educators like to raise the bar a smidge. We like to teach advanced skills and expose students to the reality of the types of technology that are used in colleges and professions that will not let them in the door unless they have such knowledge and experience.

Hell with that logic, engineers and carpenters and chemists and doctors and researchers can do their jobs without computers and technology. Perhaps we should implement a technological freeze so that we can focus on basic reading and math skills -- all taught, of course, using a blackoard.

Posted by belovedbliff on June 30, 2008 at 7:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Supposedly, his wife is on active duty and is being transferred so he wants to move back home.

I am sure it is true, but I think he sees this as a great opportunity to leave the sinking ship.

Posted by shoelaces on June 30, 2008 at 7:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Do the parents of students at Memminger, Sanders Clyde, Mitchell, Fraser (did I forget anyone) really want their schools to be more like Buist? Buist isn't for everyone. The screnning test weeds out those students who aren't prepared for the curriculum. The parents I know whose kids go to Buist are VERY involved with the school and spend a lot of time on that campus. Hey, maybe that's the difference.

And for the record, my kid didn't get picked for Buist and she was on more than one list.

I work in a Title 1 school. We do just fine with what we have. Sure the computers are starting to crash and our technology is a little behind the times. We teach the basics and make sure our children get the enrichment when they need it. If they don't have the basics then all the technology in the world won't help. But for those students who do excel and are motivated technology is their only way out of the situation they were unfortunate enough to have been born into.

Posted by buff_o_rilla on June 30, 2008 at 10:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

All these teachers posting in favor of smartboards make me wonder if they can even teach without a smartboard or just dont want the added effort on their part to teach on pencil and paper/chalk and chalkboard. As a mechanical designer i am constantly amazed at the last couple of generations that show up in the engineering field and cant function without a computer and a calculator. Technology has a place im sure but i believe there is nothing better than the basics and technology can come later. In the end people may not have the technology around to rely on. Then what?

Posted by buff_o_rilla on June 30, 2008 at 10:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Ive had a quite a few excelent teachers in my life and they didnt need technology to make learning interesting.

Posted by blackwoman on June 30, 2008 at 11:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)

It is amazing that the "crux" of every problem is Buist. Show me ONE school downtown where parents log as many hours participating in school activities as they do at BUIST. GEE, MAYBE THAT IS WHY THE KIDS ARE SO SMART!!! PARENTS HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN INTELLECTUALLY AND DEVELOPMENTALLY INVOLVED SINCE BIRTH!!! shocking proposition? . . .PRICELESS.

Posted by majorjohnson on July 1, 2008 at 7:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)

buff_o_rilla is making exactly my point. I got a solid basic reading, writing and math education in elementary school, and in high school used that to learn more advanced reading, writing and math skills. 10 years later I went to college and still had enough under my skullcap to graduate from college with a chemical engineering degree while the kids who just graduated from high school went to remedial classes because they couldn't read, write or perform math. Then I went on to learn computer programming, spent the last 20 years as a programmer, and in my work we use....whiteboards! I worked in an extremely high tech field (biometrics) and when we went to meetings or grouped together to hash out problems we did it on a whiteboard, not a smartboard.

Posted by shoelaces on July 1, 2008 at 7:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)

The SMART board is just a tool in the classroom. It is not something I would even use every day. When it can be utilized to enhance instruction then it is. Most of what I do is overhead projector or ELMO projector, paper and pencil, textbook, and hands on activities with various manipulatives.

I am done with this discussion.

Bottom line is no amount of money, no amount of gadgets, no amount of posting will fix it.....good parenting will fix it.

Posted by theronce on July 2, 2008 at 8:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Between a disfunctional government, an apathetic populace, kids who already know everything in the universe, and substandard parenting, I doubt that the presence or absence of a new piece of technology will make much difference. If you cannot read, it may as well be a coloring book.