Re Jan. 16’s editorial, “What our children don’t have on their desks”:The editorial suggests that a student who does not have a computer on his or her desk will receive a less-than-adequate education. We, along with many members of our family, are educators, and while we agree that technology can aid in student learning, we do not believe that having a computer on every desk is “the” answer to preparing students for the future.
In fact, I teach in a computer classroom (where every student does have a computer on his or her desk), but I spend time daily reminding students that our classroom time should not be spent surfing the Internet or checking e-mail.
It seems to us that what makes a “world class” education is teaching students to think — to apply what they have learned to other academic subjects and real-life situations.
Student achievement will improve when teachers teach not only the answers to standardized test questions but are encouraged to teach students how to read, think, and write about the subjects they are studying. Students will perform better academically when parents support and encourage their children and provide them with safe and nurturing homes.
And, finally, the quality of education in our state (and all states) will improve when parents support their children’s teachers and provide encouragement and stimulation at home. This will supplement the school curriculum. For example, parents can read or play games with their children rather than watching the latest episode of Fear Factoror Survivor.Money is great and necessary to run efficient and successful schools, but children learn at home and at school. The two must work together. It is that simple.
Owen and Carrie McWhorter
Fruithurst
Pertinent questions
Why are the chemical sirens, supposedly a whooping sound, not tested like the general severe weather sirens? I have never heard the chemical siren. Does it operate properly, who knows? What are people suppose to do if the alarm sounds and they instructed to shelter-in-place if they are out and about in town or elsewhere away from home?Now on to something else: I am highly concerned about the educational system in Alabama, and local one more so. Are not the politicians’ priorities off-course to spend the money it took to renovate Noble Street when the Anniston school system is so desperately financially strapped, laying off teachers and support workers? It just doesn’t make sense. Perhaps someone can justify it.
If the people of Alabama were faced with a choice to close down schools or enact a lottery earmarked strictly for education, would we close down schools? All of our kids — red, yellow, black or white — deserve better than we are giving them. It’s a disgrace. They depend on us as adults to make good intelligent choices for the best education they can get. We are letting them down.
Now one more thing, why doesn’t someone do something about the very rough ride on I-20 between Oxford and Pell City? It will literally shake the filaments out of your car’s sealbeams and shake the fuses out of their holder. It’s a disgrace to have a major highway like I-20 in Alabama. I can imagine what tourists traveling I-20 say and think, another disgrace to our area. I could keep on and on, but will just ask these questions for now.
James “Jim” Mitchell
Oxford
