President Obama comments on NCLB

4 of 5 schools are failing? (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110315/ap_on_re_us/obama_education_fact_check)  Sure, based on NCLB and the requirements in the law.  The problem with the law is that it is not realistic.  There is no possible way that 100% of children can be proficient in reading, writing, math, and science.  It will never happen!  This is America and we are founded on the principals of self-governance and responsibility.  As an educator, I know that the single most influential factor on whether or not a child succeeds in the classroom has NOTHING to do with the teacher 99% of the time.  What is the factor? Parental involvement! It is time to stop blaming teachers for doing a bad job!  Parents have been enabling their kids into thinking that teachers owe them a good grade.  Sorry, but you have to work hard in order to earn a quality education.  You have to be responsible for you and your education.  You have to put in the time and energy and sacrifice to get the grade you think you deserve.  Parents, you chose to take off your pants!  Now you need to choose to support your child by reading with them 20 minutes each day, checking their homework to see if it is correct, seeking out additional resources on the internet or at a library if your child is struggling, but most importantly instilling the values of hard work to make yourself into what you want be.

Will Hand Writing Disappear

With the advance in technology and all of the gadgets like smartphones, tablets, netbooks, and your traditional laptops and desktops, will handwriting disappear?  It seems that the youth of our country can text faster than they can write and more efficient with their own abbreviated language.  For as long as I can remember, colleges require all papers to be typed.  With high schools, middle schools and more and more elementary schools moving to a 1 to 1 environment, it makes me think that the hand writing is becoming obsolete.  Even in my life, I usually write down a grocery list, but my smartphone has a app for that.  Knowing how to write is still  imperative since it is really the way tweens, teens, young adults, and adults communicate in our digital society.  For many people, why even talk on the phone, when you can send a text message?  All of this combined with a push to "paperless" society to save money and the environment makes you wonder if hand writing will disappaer.