I think you, Bill, Fred, Pat, and others are all on the same team. We are a=
ll working for the same goal of educational transformation, knowing that ea=
ch school has its own unique set of challenges as well as common challenges=
. What has been most fascinating about this thread is its evolution from a =
discussion of technology to a discussion of education. We began with questi=
ons such as "Why doesn't every school have a 1:1 program?" Now we are hear=
ing questions about the quality of education, knowing that technology is an=
integral part of that quality and transformation, but not the silver bulle=
t. I would suggest that if we can convince our faculties that educational t=
ransformation is a good idea, they will then buy into the real integration =
of technology. But the converse is not universally the case - the technolog=
y will not necessarily lead the horses to water - but once there, the techn=
ology will make them drink the Kool Aid. Let's keep the discussion going, e=
ven though the conference is over. Spring is all about renewal. The timing =
is right.
Joel
--=20
Joel Backon
Director of Academic Technology / History
Choate Rosemary Hall
333 Christian St.
Wallingford, CT 06492
203-697-2514
On Mar 1, 2010, at 8:00 PM, Jason Ramsden wrote:
> Bill,
>=20
> How very true. I would argue, however, that the paragraph in which you
> note that independent schools are unfettered by "high-stakes exit exams"
> could not be more untrue. The ugly truth is that for the majority of our
> schools we do have exit exams. These exams are extremely high-stake, for
> both the students that take them and the teachers that teach to them,
> and come in many different flavors. These exams are more commonly
> referred to as Advanced Placement Exams (Disclaimer: I used to teach AP
> Computer Science).
>=20
> I do find it increasingly difficult to have meaningful conversations
> surrounding the death of education, particularly at the upper school
> level, and the rebirth of learning as we need it when such a powerful
> measure of our schools' success is so tightly wedded to the weight
> colleges and universities place on these exams.
>=20
> While I do understand this to be only a portion of the issue, it's
> pervasiveness has deeper roots, however, than any TTWWADI (that's the
> way we've always done it) thought process we may cross in our schools.
> Until we can make great in roads at the next level on how our students
> are evaluated we all may be spinning our wheels in the name of change.
>=20
> I think my Head of School said it best in a recent meeting when she
> said, "much of what we do [in independent schools] is like a large
> rocking horse. Sure, there is a great deal of motion, but not a lot of
> forward progress."
>=20
> I, like you Bill, am ready to ride the thoroughbred. Anyone else want to
> grab the reigns and ride?
>=20
> With best intentions,
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> -------
> Jason T. Ramsden; CTO @ Ravenscroft School (Raleigh, NC - USA)
> Mobile: 919.337.2244
>=20
>=20
> -----Original Message-----
> From: A forum for independent school educators
> [mailto:ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On Behalf Of Bill Ivey
> Sent: Sunday, February 28, 2010 9:08 PM
> To: ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
> Subject: Re: The most tweeted remark from the 2010 NAIS annual
> conference...
>=20
> Perhaps therein lies an opportunity for independent schools, who in
> recent years have seemed increasingly willing and able to take advantage
> of the flexibility to innovate which we enjoy, unfettered as we are by
> NLCB, high-stakes exit exams and state testing, and all the rigamarole
> that passes for "reform" among far too many politicians, think tanks,
> and the media.
>=20
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represent those of Ravenscroft.
>=20
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>=20
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