How is your school system helping students prepare for the future employment?

by Olga LaPlante

This is a very interesting set of data from Department of Labor statistics, which might have an especially significant effect on Maine employment, given the leading industries in the state. This might also be timely given the debate over going 1-to-1, it being either a wise investment or a big squander. Please read the post and share your views.
http://www.dangerouslyirrelevant.org/2009/04/immunizingyourgraduates.html

Universal Access to Laptops?

by Olga LaPlante

I happen to have a friend staying in Thailand at the moment, and working at an international school. International also implies private, or not free.
When we talk about China, or Asia (which would then include Thailand), do we somehow have this stereotype that those kids are well-educated, successful and pose a serious threat to US job-seekers? It will be safe to say yes.

Now, last time we spoke (on Skype, of course), he said (he teaches French), that he has a small class, they are all A students. They say, "That's all???" after he assigns homework, quite disappointed... He said that they might enjoy joining Alliance Francaise, and they did to take a course. It's middle school students by the way.

Now, my question was - to my friend's son who is a high school student now - do you have laptops? He said - no, we have like 4 computers in the lab/library.

Does this tell you anything? Can US schooling be in the large part a product of the culture, rather than limited resources, poverty, ESL students etc.?

Comments?

21st Century High School Teacher Tools & Resources

There will be a series of MLTI regional leadership team meetings on the new high school laptop initiative. Details