15 Sunday Nov 2020
Posted in Uncategorized
Sammy Hagar has survived the break-up of Van Halen and has gone on to do well for himself. Sammy is originally from my turf, San Bernardino County – the city of Fontana. He played in and around the area for sometime. Unfortunately, I can’t say ‘I knew him when.’
You can see more of Sammy on his: http://www.redrocker.com/news site where he smooches with his wife, Kari. They are a cute couple.
Will follow up with a little more on Nancy Wilson of Heart and Van Halen.
15 Sunday Nov 2020
Posted in Uncategorized
Just bought an MP3 – Living in a Blue Dream – Joe Satriani. wow!
I think I have bought two of his Surfing with the Alien albums. This character is based on the Silver Surfer character from Marvel Comics. I loved Joe when he still had hair, but…..the music is just as great as ever. CW
27 Tuesday Oct 2020
Posted in Uncategorized
Robots Are Not Taking Over Teachers’ Jobs – Education …
www.edelements.com › blog › robots-are-not-taking-o…
Feb 6, 2019
There is a scene from the recent Star Trek movie reboot of a young alien named Spock at school. Spock and his classmates each stand in their own semi-circular pod, surrounded by screens while an automated “teacher” prompts them with questions. This eerie scene is what some fear will be the future of schooling. Students staring at screens, by themselves, while an artificial intelligence program delivers content and assessments. There is no doubt that digital programs, particularly adaptive ones, can be powerful tools in the classroom. However, that is all a digital program will ever be – a tool. A computer program can never replace a teacher. If anything, technology is making the role of teachers even more important and their job more complex.
Advances in artificial intelligence have been significant, as evidenced by the recent victory of Google’s AlphaGo program over a top human Go player in China. However, computers have only been able to beat humans at the one task they are designed for. That same program could not beat a human at Monopoly, or write a better poem, or even begin to mentor a child through the college application process. Teaching, in contrast, is a job that is multi-layered and complex. Teachers are instructors, coaches, analysts, therapists, designers, mediators, and performers. They are tasked with the most human of jobs – to help raise their community’s children. What job is more human, and more difficult, than teaching?
Only teachers can create the learning experiences that build knowledge, skills, and a love of learning.
Great lessons require planning and performance. Teachers must design a rigorous learning experience and execute it in a way that engages and supports every student. The list of requirements to do either of these tasks is so long, no computer program could even begin to do one, let alone both, of these. If anything, technology is making the job of the teacher more complex than before. Instead of having one set of textbooks, teachers must navigate an array of online and offline curricula while managing devices and building digital citizenship.
Critical thinking skills require the asking and answering of a wide array of questions, something only humans can do.
Teachers most often build their students’ critical thinking skills through careful questioning. This involves the planned and spontaneous asking and answering of questions. It requires a teacher to pivot their approach based on the needs, interests, and strengths of individual students. More and more, it also requires teachers to help their students responsibly consume information and identify unreliable sources. Anyone who has tried to ask an artificial intelligence program a question more difficult than, “What’s the weather today?” will immediately see the limitations of a computer in this work.
No computer can build a relationship with a student, or serve as their role model.
The teachers who adults remember were the ones who inspired them. They saw their potential and coached and challenged them to reach it. Great teachers help students learn about the world around them and about themselves. They are role models and mentors. One reason that districts and states are seeking a more diverse teaching staff is to ensure that every student can see a model of themselves in the adult leading their classrooms. It is difficult to imagine an algorithm serving this role.
A child’s development requires human guidance.
An excellent education develops the whole child. Great schools work in partnership with their families and communities to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to successfully navigate life. Teachers provide guidance, give students feedback, facilitate conflict-resolution, and support students to learn from their mistakes. Technology has, in many ways, opened up the world to students. And teachers are at the forefront of helping to guide, and at times, protect students as they navigate this world. What parent would entrust this job to a computer?
Spock is part of an alien race that values logic and reason, entirely separating themselves from emotion. Perhaps an artificial intelligence built on those same principles would be an effective teacher for them. But humans are uniquely emotional beings, particularly children. Great teachers use emotion to inspire their students, engage them in work, help them through challenges, and model self-control over those emotions. We teach students to be better versions of ourselves. Teaching is a distinctly human endeavor, one that no algorithm can come close to mimicking.
Join us at the PL Summit 2019 for more inspiration and learning around the challenges educators face and how to tackle them effectively and innovatively.
About Noah Dougherty Noah Dougherty is a Senior Design Principal at Education Elements. He previously worked as a teacher, curriculum writer, instructional coach, and school leader. He began his teaching career in Prince George’s County, Maryland with Teach For America and continued with KIPP DC. He has taught middle school social studies, 8th grade ELA, English 12, AP Literature, high school journalism, and DC History. While at KIPP DC he wrote the middle school social studies curriculum, designed a blended professional development course on writing instruction, and supported personalized learning. As a school leader he coached eleven teachers on the ELA and social studies teams, leading to a 13-point gain in students earning a 4+ on the PARCC, more than doubling the portion of students passing the PARCC, more than doubling the portion of students passing from the previous year. Noah has also worked for DC Public Schools and LearnZillion on curriculum development initiatives. He is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh. Noah grew up in Syracuse, NY and now lives in Washington, DC.
24 Thursday Sep 2020
Posted in Uncategorized
Ten jobs that are safe from robots
A college degree, problem-solving skills and the ability to adapt to technological change will help land jobs at low risk for automation
by SARAH GONSERSeptember 18, 2018
The Hechinger Report is a national nonprofit newsroom that reports on one topic: education. Sign up for our weekly newsletters to get stories like this delivered directly to your inbox.
This story also appeared in Mind/Shift
Yes, the robots are definitely coming for the jobs of America’s 3.5 million cashiers. Just ask the retail workers who’ve already been displaced by automated checkout machines. Robots may also be coming for radiologists, whose expertise diagnosing diseases through X-rays and MRIs is facing stiff competition from artificial intelligence. And robots are starting to do some of the work in professions as diverse as chef, office clerk and tractor-trailer operator.
For most of us, though, the robot invasion will simply change the tasks we do, not destroy our jobs altogether. That’s according to researchers who study the impact of automation on jobs. They also note that, as the spread of artificial intelligence automates the rote parts of our jobs, it will not only force us to upgrade our skills but also free us up to take on more sophisticated tasks. Meanwhile, the education system will have to adapt by focusing on giving people the high-level problem-solving and interpersonal skills that robots may never be able to master.
Over the next decade, at least one-third of the tasks in about 60 percent of jobs could be automated, according to research by consulting firm McKinsey & Company. Globally, the firm estimates that up to 30 percent of current work hours will be automated. Less than 5 percent of jobs, McKinsey says, will disappear completely in that period. Here, we take a look at jobs that, to the extent that workforce and automation research can predict the future, will continue to depend largely on uniquely human skills, thus remaining relatively robot-proof.
The most vulnerable jobs are low-skill positions in very structured and predictable settings, such as heavy-machinery operations and fast-food work. Significant parts of white-collar jobs that involve collecting and processing information — paralegal work, accounting and mortgage origination, for example — are also likely to be automated. “The jobs that will go away are the jobs that are routine in nature,” said Joseph B. Fuller, professor of management practice at Harvard Business School. Jobs that don’t require much deviation from a central task, he noted, are the easiest to describe in an algorithm and thus prime candidates for automation.
“If you’re a doctor, you should aim to be an even smarter doctor. If you’re a garbage collector, you should aim to be a smarter garbage collector.”
In contrast, robot-proof jobs tend to involve tasks like decision-making and problem-solving, and require a flexible mindset and a willingness to multitask. They’re also likely to require higher education, according to a Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce analysis conducted for The Hechinger Report. “For the most part, a bachelor’s degree has a higher probability of giving you automation protection,” said Megan Fasules, an assistant professor and research economist at the center who compiled the data. “So even if my job has a degree of automation, a bachelor’s degree might allow me to have the skills to adapt to changes more easily.”
As artificial intelligence enters workplaces, many jobs will become hybrid versions of earlier jobs. Job roles and skills will mix together in new ways — forcing education programs to adapt as well. For example, Harvard’s Fuller cites the growing demand for registered nurses with specialized computer science skills. “I’ve looked all across the U.S., there is no such education program available.”
Related: Teachers want to prepare students for the jobs of the future — but feel stymied
A high school student repairs a car in an automotive shop class. Jobs in automotive body repair are relatively safe from automation, and they don’t require a college degree. Credit: Jackie Mader/The Hechinger Report
Workers in all job levels will need to keep sharpening their skills and continuing to learn, according to Benjamin Pring, co-founder and managing director of The Center for the Future of Work, a research unit funded by Cognizant, a tech services company. “If you’re a doctor, you should aim to be an even smarter doctor. If you’re a garbage collector, you should aim to be a smarter garbage collector.”
He says that a more personalized method of education, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, may do the best job of preparing young people for the future work environment. Whereas traditional, standardized teaching models work for motivated students, they often leave less motivated or struggling students behind, he says. “A more personalized approach, where the performance of each child is improved, will create, in aggregate, smarter people who can thrive in this era in which tools and machines are smarter than ourselves,” said Pring.
“The notion that we can train someone in 2018 for job requirements in 2028 isn’t realistic.”
But there’s only so much educators, and workers, can do now to prepare. “The notion that we can train someone in 2018 for job requirements in 2028 isn’t realistic,” Fuller said. Given the fast pace of change, job training will have to be fluid rather than static, helping people gather the skills to survive as workplaces and needs continuously evolve.
In its analysis for The Hechinger Report, the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce identified 10 robot-proof jobs, in sizable fields that pay a solid middle-class wage. The analysis was based on information from the O*NET Resource Center and the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2016. Job wages and details are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Best robot-proof jobs requiring a high-school degree but no college
• Automotive body and glass repairs
With a median wage of $40,580, this is among the better jobs that don’t call for education beyond high school — especially now that auto shops are well-ventilated, so that fumes and dust are dispersed. And because this job requires technical knowledge plus problem-solving and customer service skills, it has a low risk of automation.
• Heavy vehicle and mobile equipment service technicians
These mechanics inspect and repair the vehicles and machinery used in such growing fields as construction, farming and rail transportation. Employers will hire workers right out of high school, though postsecondary training is an asset. With a median wage of $49,440 and required (and robot-proof) customer service and problem-solving skills and technical know-how, the real downside to this job is that it’s tough, physical and often dirty work.
Best robot-proof jobs requiring a certification or 2-year degree
• Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists
Industry certification in diesel engine repair, or other postsecondary preparation, is strongly preferred for this job. This is physically demanding work, often in noisy repair shops, and it pays a middle-class wage of $46,360. Because this job requires the ability to troubleshoot, deal with customers and handle sophisticated technology such as engine diagnostic software, it rates low for automation risk.
• Line installers and workers
Line workers install and repair electrical power systems and telecommunications cables. The job requires a high school diploma, technical certification and on-the-job training, and it can be physically demanding and hazardous. Still, because of the degree of customer interaction, complex problem-solving and critical thinking involved in the job, it is relatively automation-proof and pays $64,190 per year.
Best robot-proof jobs requiring a bachelor’s degree or more
A high school teacher in New York helps a student during class. Due to its highly interpersonal nature, high school teaching ranks very low on the automation-risk scale. Credit: Jackie Mader/The Hechinger Report
• High school teachers
High school teachers need at least a bachelor’s degree and, to work in public schools, a teaching license or certification. The median wage is $59,170 and, with some variation by region, employment in the profession is expected to grow. While there is the big upside of summer and holiday vacations, this advantage is offset by the reality that teachers tend to work evenings and weekends grading papers and preparing lessons. Due to its highly interpersonal nature, high school teaching ranks very low on the automation-risk scale.
• Occupational therapists
Occupational therapists work in settings such as hospitals and schools to help ill, injured or disabled people build the skills needed for everyday life. Demand for the jobs, which pay an average of $83,200, is increasing rapidly: Employment is projected to grow 24 percent in the next decade. This job requires sophisticated reasoning, strong communication skills and high-level problem-solving and decision-making abilities — making it an unpredictable, challenging and thus robot-proof job.
• Special education teachers
Special education teachers work with students with disabilities, from preschool through high school, and earn a median annual wage of $58,980. This job requires a bachelor’s degree and a state certification or license. While some special education teachers receive summers and holidays off, many work year-round. The job’s automation-proof skills include the ability to build strong relationships with students and co-workers, modify curriculum based on students’ needs and assess students’ abilities.
• Aerospace engineers
Investment in redesigning aircraft to be quieter and more fuel efficient is driving job creation for aerospace engineers. With a median annual wage of $113,030, positions require a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering or a related science or engineering field. Workers must possess deep technical knowledge, critical-thinking skills and complex problem-solving abilities, among many other automation-proof skills.
• Nurse practitioners and nurse midwives
Nurse practitioners and nurse midwives need a master’s degree and a state license, at minimum; they must also pass a national certification exam. The average annual wage is $110,930. As Americans age, this job sector is projected to grow a whopping 31 percent in the next decade. Because this job requires a unique and demanding combination of critical-thinking and social skills and adaptability, it ranks low for risk of automation.
• Writers and authors
These jobs — in copy and technical writing, book authorship and other fields — pay a median annual wage of $61,820 and generally require at least a bachelor’s degree. While computer programs are starting to produce simple news articles, the overall threat of a robot penning the next novel you read, or the next advertising jingle you hear, is very low.
This story about robots and jobs was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for the Hechinger newsletter.
18 Tuesday Aug 2020
Posted in Uncategorized
Summertime and the catfish are jumping…it is also as hot as heck. My area, USA – Southwest is having record high temperatures. A week ago or so, I was setting up a new account by phone. The young lady asked me for my phone number and I couldn’t remember the correct number. I also kept having dizzy spells, fatigue and leg cramps. I thought I was drinking enough water….maybe not.
After reading several articles on dehydration I realized I needed not just water but Gatorade (electrolytes) and fruit juices. Once I started to swill those as well as water and cut back on coffee, the dizziness went away and my memory ‘improved’. I was really surprised at how quickly it can happen. One thing this article mentions is that you really need to start to ‘hydrate’ (drink water) one day before you engage in heavy physical activity. Wow, who knew? So, my water bottle is in my carrier by my side when I walk or hike with a backup bottle of Gatorade in my car, just ‘in case.’
Dehydration occurs when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn’t have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions. If you don’t replace lost fluids, you will get dehydrated.
Anyone may become dehydrated, but the condition is especially dangerous for young children and older adults.
The most common cause of dehydration in young children is severe diarrhea and vomiting. Older adults naturally have a lower volume of water in their bodies, and may have conditions or take medications that increase the risk of dehydration.
This means that even minor illnesses, such as infections affecting the lungs or bladder, can result in dehydration in older adults.
Dehydration also can occur in any age group if you don’t drink enough water during hot weather — especially if you are exercising vigorously.
You can usually reverse mild to moderate dehydration by drinking more fluids, but severe dehydration needs immediate medical treatment.
Thirst isn’t always a reliable early indicator of the body’s need for water. Many people, particularly older adults, don’t feel thirsty until they’re already dehydrated. That’s why it’s important to increase water intake during hot weather or when you’re ill.
The signs and symptoms of dehydration also may differ by age.
Call your family doctor if you or a loved one:
Sometimes dehydration occurs for simple reasons: You don’t drink enough because you’re sick or busy, or because you lack access to safe drinking water when you’re traveling, hiking or camping.
Other dehydration causes include:
Anyone can become dehydrated, but certain people are at greater risk:
Dehydration can lead to serious complications, including:
To prevent dehydration, drink plenty of fluids and eat foods high in water such as fruits and vegetables. Letting thirst be your guide is an adequate daily guideline for most healthy people.
People may need to take in more fluids if they are experiencing conditions such as:
02 Sunday Aug 2020
Posted in Uncategorized
I was out hiking this weekend. It’s a beautiful site and it was a hot, humid day. I was only out for about an hour because I was feeling a bit tired. When I got to my favorite Coyote Pause Cafe, I was ready to eat everything in sight in including the table cloth. Later, I was having some other symptoms like headache and dizziness. What was wrong with me? Plus, I kept having fantasic craving for salt and starch. What up? I think I got dehydrated even though I wasn’t out for long. Here’s a good article about this.
Hunger vs. thirst: tips to tell the difference
How often have you heard your stomach growl, felt a little light-headed or had an oncoming headache and immediately reached for a snack? You might be surprised to find that what can feel like a hunger pang is actually thirst. These two sensations ride a fine line, and being able to tell the difference can help you be successful with your daily diet!
When true hunger strikes, many people are guilty of opening the fridge or pantry and immediately looking for ready-to-eat or pre-packaged foods for a quick fix. The next time you get a stomach pang, though, pause and ask yourself if you’re really hungry or could you just be thirsty? Here are some common hunger symptoms to set the basis for your answer:
The truth is, most people confuse thirst and hunger, often mistaking the former for the latter. Clinical studies have shown that 37% of people mistake hunger for thirst because thirst signals can be weak. This can create added issues for chronic kidney disease patients who are sometimes placed on fluid restrictions to reduce their kidneys’ workload. Always follow these restrictions, but also make sure your body is getting enough fluid, too. Signs of thirst symptoms may include:
With symptoms that overlap can easily lead to misdiagnosis when it comes to hunger vs. thirst. Pay close attention to these feelings when you have them and think about what you’ve eaten or drank so far for the day. Here are a few helpful reminders to keep your cravings in check:
Information or materials posted on this blog are intended for general informational purposes only, and should not be construed as medical advice, medical opinion, diagnosis or treatment. Any information posted on this blog is not a substitute for patient specific medical information or dietary advice. Please consult with your healthcare team or dietitian for a more complete dietary plan and recommendations.
17 Friday Jul 2020
Posted in Uncategorized
CT Examiner
For more than 10 percent of the 57 million school-age children nationwide, fall 2020 may bring another big shift in their education: homeschooling.
According to a Real Clear Opinion Poll on May 14, 15 percent of the 2,122 families surveyed are planning to homeschool their children in the fall. As of fall 2019, just 3 to 4 percent of all students in the United States were homeschooled, according to the Home School Legal Defense Association.
“If this poll holds true that would mean 8.5 million American children would be homeschooled in the fall. It’s hard to believe,” said Mike Donnelly, senior counsel and director of global outreach for the Home School Legal Defense Association. “But, there are a lot of things that schools are talking about in the fall that families are not comfortable with.”
Although the percentage of homeschoolers in Connecticut as of 2017 remains well below the national average, with less than 1 percent of students participating in homeschooling, in the last two months interest has grown substantially according to Pam Lucashu of The Education Association of Christian Homeschoolers.
In the last week alone, Lucashu said, individuals in the Association’s considering homeschooling Facebook group increased by 26 percent. In New London County, several families have expressed interest in transitioning to homeschooling, according to the Thames Valley 4-H Homeschool Co-op.
With public and private schools across the state closed since mid-March due to effort to slow the spread of COVID-19 and with uncertainty about what school will look like in the fall, a transition to homeschooling is an appealing option for families.
“There are several reasons we are considering switching to homeschooling next year,” said Michelle Kurber, a resident and mother in the Branford School District. “Before COVID happened our family started to become concerned with the district’s reliance on technology and lack of play at the younger grade levels. Studies have been showing for years negative effects of prolonged screen time with young children ranging from shorter attention spans all the way to behavioral problems.”
When schools closed this spring, online learning became the default method of education for public and private school students across the state.
“Instead of picking up a laptop and an iPad for my kindergartner and second grader where we had to learn a new and frustrating online platform, it would have been more helpful to pick up a packet of worksheets and library books for my kids to read,” Kurber said. “I absolutely believe technology has a place in education but I do not believe it should be relied on in the younger grade levels. If we homeschool next year our family looks forward to choosing a curriculum that better fits our children’s individual learning style and interests. We will also have the ability to have shorter school days and increase field trips around the community to enhance our learning.”
On May 19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released guidance to school districts about precautions that should be taken if they are to reopen in the fall. The recommendations include students and teachers wearing masks, not sharing supplies, keeping desks six feet apart, social distancing on school buses, requiring one-directional hallways, restricting visitors from the school, staggering arrival and departure times and routine cleaning of surfaces and supplies throughout the day.
“Folks are really frustrated with how schooling is going right now and are considering homeschooling as an alternative,” Donnelly said. “With schools saying they will do a lot of things differently in the fall it may push those families who were considering homeschooling to pull the trigger.”
If the COVID-19 pandemic does push more families to choose homeschooling, that doesn’t mean they can’t ever go back, said Sandra Kim, a spokesperson for the Home School Legal Defense Association.
“You don’t have to think of homeschool as kindergarten through 12th grade, you can always go back,” Kim said. “For the next year it might make the most sense, after that we shall see.”
Although it may seem like life for homeschool families has not changed much due to COVID-19, the Thames Valley 4-H Homeschool Co-op said it has actually changed drastically. The group along with many other homeschool co-ops, which used to meet weekly for some subjects and activities, has not been able to meet since the pandemic began due to social distancing restrictions.
“We still are not sure if the fall will be different for us or not too,” said Brittany Casey, a homeschooling mom and member of the Thames Valley co-op. “We need to know if we will be able to meet, especially if we will be supporting this possible influx.”
Homeschooled children across the country are rarely just learning from home. They take field trips, combine with other children in co-ops, participate in extracurricular activities provided for public school children and are often very involved in their communities, Donnelly said.
17 Friday Jul 2020
Posted in Uncategorized
by Abby Acone, KOMO News meteorologist/reporter
Tuesday, June 16th 2020
SEATTLE — With the upcoming school year just a few weeks away, several parents say they are considering homeschooling their children because they dislike new guidelines released by the state that will apply to education in the post-coronavirus environment.
Chris Reykdal, the state superintendent, said he expects schools to reopen for in-person education this fall in the wake of new requirements for state schools that have been endorsed by his office and state health officials. Those directives inlcude masks for students and teachers along with social distancing practiced on campuses.
Several parents say those new requirements aren’t realistic for young children.
“To have masks on while you’re trying to learn and be in this environment can already be overwhelming,” said parent Ana Safavi, who is choosing to homeschool her two kids for the upcoming school year.
She said she worries about the social dynamics of physical distancing, and believes it will be difficult for her future first-grader to wear a mask.
“I know that he’s going to have more anxiety about that,” Safavi said. “He’s already a pretty high anxiety child.”
In addition to wearing masks and physical distancing, the new state requirements for schools reopening this fall include:
While every school across the state must implement these requirements for in-person learning this fall, it’s up to each district to decide what model of education they want to follow. That discretion could mean districts will decide themselves among returning to class full-time, part-time, offering virtual learning or a combination approach of multiple models.
However, OSPI officials said school districts should be prepared to return to remote learning if health reasons dictate.
Tim Robinson, spokesman for Seattle Public Schools, said it is reasonable to expect young students will comply with directives for social distancing and masks.
“I would say yes, because they’re probably getting used to that already at home,” he said. “It’s a different world.”
Robinson says Seattle Public Schools is considering a variety of models for the new school year, some involve staggered schedules for students and a mix of remote and in-person learning.
The district has held multiple meetings over the last two weeks, discussing with students, teachers and parents on how to move forward. Officials with Seattle Public Schools are expected to announce more specifics of their plan on Friday.
“We are going to do everything we can to keep things as safe as possible,” Robinson said.
The Seattle Education Association says this process to make a decision is moving too quickly.
“My concern is that we rush to a decision,” said Jennifer Matter, spokeswoman for the Seattle Education Association. “I really think that it’s a complex issue.”
School staffers say they are waiting for plan details on restarting in-person learning to come soon.
“Our educators need as much time as possible to prepare for what is surely going to be a unique situation,” Robinson said.
13 Monday Jul 2020
Posted in Uncategorized
Okay, my devoted fan club. Your turn. Which posts do you like the best?
Short stories, healthy living tips, tips on reading or social commentary? Sometimes I can be all over the page, but they say, a messy desk is the sign of an intelligent mind, or something like that. Let’s hear from you! CW
28 Sunday Jun 2020
Posted in Uncategorized
Hi there: Wow! A bunch of articles on the value of print books vs digital. Gee, somebody must have some extra time!!!!
The Digital vs Book debate continues to rage. I teach and many of my students are either ESL, second generation English learners or remedial students. My opinion is that ESL, remedial and young students should all have paper books. Digital only if they want them. Why?
Young children, who are learning to read, love to hold the books in their hands, turn the pages, Pat the Bunny (you parents know that one,) and then, read it again, again and again. That is a very common trait with very young readers; they love it repeated. So, let them!
What about remedial and ESL? Anyone who is struggling with reading, the language and comprehension, needs to stop, regroup and then reread the paragraph, passage, page, etc. They will want to ‘mark it up’ and make notes to themselves in the margins. It is common for this group to have a ‘favorite page’ or a ‘reference page’. This might be an actual reference page with things like verb conjugations, verb tenses, grammar forms, etc. This type of study is virtually impossible with a digital book. In addition, publishers to schools frequently ‘rent’ the book for a specific time and then pull the book back at the end of term. Therefore, the student then has no book for reference later.
Lastly – Money, Money, Money makes the world go round. Didn’t I hear that in a movie? Because I’m a teacher and need stuff (!) I currently have 3 computers at home; two that are mine and one from the school. I have an Ipad, a Smart phone, two Kindles that don’t work and two cell phones that don’t work. My excuse is, well, they don’t work do they?
In March of 2020, our school shut down because of Covid 19 and went completely virtual. Many of our students come from low-income backgrounds. Not surprisingly, many did not have computers, proper Smart phones, Internet, cameras, microphones, etc. Therefore, connect the dots gang, they could barely attend classes and many either failed or opted out with incompletes or withdrawals. You don’t have to have two Phd’s to get the point that yes, many people do not have the money to have all the equipment and gear ‘going digital’ requires. Our school is trying to help them out with loans of computers, great, what if they don’t have Internet at home? How about their embarrassment when they have to admit to teacher/costudents they can’t afford these ‘basic’ items.
So, wouldn’t a paper book be easier, just in case all the power does go out at your house? That’s all fer now, Courtney Webb, MA
