After all the Speech hoopla here is the result

[mamacatnv]

DD attends a Charter School but they fall under the local district blanket. This is a "high achieving" math and science school - very technology based and way ahead of the regular schools in our district.

The district took a we will show the speech but parents/teachers can opt out approach.

We let DD decide, she is 11 and in 5th grade - she wanted to hear it.

Last night I ask her "So, what did you think of the Presidents speech"
her reply: "Well, we only got the last few minutes, none of the 5th grade teachers could find the website"

I ask the 2nd child in our carpool who attends the middle school of the Charter and she said "we didn't see it at all no one could figure out how to get it to play on the tv"

Now, I find the whole thing just silly. All the national hoopla, the district issuing its mandate and then the school not being able to figure out how to actually show it to the students.

DD and friend went home and read it online.

Gheesh........

 

[NHdisneylover]

You gotta love the irony

 

[mikehn]

I think an internet czar is needed....or is it a TV czar that's needed.

 

[FireDancer]

The thing that stands out for me isn't the speech but the incompetence of a person who is supposed to be educating our children not being able to find a website.

I am pretty active in the technology community and find it quite disturbing how little integration of emerging technology there is in education, especially elementary education. With a little forethought and innovation the use of technology can greatly decrease the cost of education. It just requires educators getting a little closer to the leading edge. Come one over, it isn't all that scary, there is a guard rail and everything.