[Note: The reason for highlighting this article is to point out the trends in technology that are changing established institutions, specifically public education, not to criticize or ridicule Teachers - in any way, shape or form.
Just as e-mail killed (some of) the Post Office, the Internet (is still) killing newspapers and "mainstream" media and Amazon.com (largely) killed the shopping center bookstores as well as set the stage for iTunes to (almost completely) kill the record store - none of these "deceased" institutions are "bad" or "evil".
They just did not change with the times. At least not fast enough to keep pace.
We will always need Teachers and I have the utmost respect for their dedication, contribution - and tolerating a lot of "crap".
Sadly, they are in the same situation as the cheerful Post Office worker, hard working investigative newspaper reporter, helpful book store or record store employee.
One hundred years ago, the best buggy whip manufacturing worker could find fortune in the automobile industry - because we will always need transportation - it is just a question of what kind.
I believe the same is true for teachers. Allow technology to be your friend - don't treat it as your enemy.]
The Virtual School, grades K-12, is catching on and is offering parents a option in the education of their children. Oregon has an excellent program in place and several states are also involved with the idea.
Children have lesson plans and lectures that are presented on the computer. Their actual school day can usually be completed in less time, excluding homework and the children can still engage in sports and social clubs after school. Thus they achieve the social interaction at school, but their school work is completed on a laptop at any location.
An obvious advantage is that the best teachers can be used to teach an infinite number of students and students don’t necessarily need to be held back by under performing and boring teachers that the seniority system of the Teachers’ Union maintain in position. Union Teachers can have their small classes, because after this system is improved, only parents that want to use the school as a free baby sitting service will want to send their kids to ‘physical’ school. The brick and mortar schools with their outrageous costs will be much smaller in the future and the demands and influence of the Teachers’ Union will become a part of our Socialist past.
In the future, parents who want the best possible education for college preparation will be able to pay for premier classwork to guarantee success in college or trade school. The advantages are limitless, but one of the most important aspects of the virtual school will be to neutralize the influence of the teacher unions on state and national politics.
Virtual Schools will be unstoppable once the sanctimonious cries from the unions are muffled. A quality public education can become available to more students throughout the country, a student can progress at their own rate and challenge themselves to greater achievements: no longer will students be condemned to an inferior education because of poor teachers and administrators. The educational costs and teacher pensions will become a nightmare of the past. In a few years the brick and mortar school will signify the substandard education of unmotivated parents and students.
Only highly motivated teachers will be needed, those who can inspire and actually teach, but why should we have any other type of teacher except to fill the union rolls.
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