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Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Schools Matter: Are we participants or just an audience?

Schools Matter: Are we participants or just an audience?

Are we participants or just an audience?

A "conversation" with the Dept of Education: Are we participants or just an audience?


I just participated in the "conversation" between members of the NCTE (National Council of Teachers of English) and the US Dept of Education. It was supposed to be a conversation, and we had interactive software set up.

It wasn't a conversation. Even though only a few people were involved, maybe a dozen or so (not counting staff members), there was apparently no time for any interaction. The feds wasted a half hour telling us what we already knew, that is, what was in the Blueprint, then discussed (at length) a few of the questions that were sent in that they had selected. They even took time to discuss a question that wasn't sent in that a staff member thought was interesting.