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Sunday, December 4, 2011

Daily Kos: Teachers - Thank Goodness!

Daily Kos: Teachers - Thank Goodness!:

Teachers - Thank Goodness!

The sole purpose of this blog post is to get you to go read a blog post written by someone who is 86 years old, Norman Blumenthal. Perhaps you have heard those who argue we can do away with much of what happens in schools by teaching through online classes. Or perhaps you read Michael Bloomberg arguing at MIT that NYC should fire half their teachers and pay those left more for teaching class sizes twice as large. Both approaches ignore the importance of the teacher knowing the students, and what a difference that can make in the life of a student.

Please read Teachers - Thank Goodness!. If you choose to recommend or pass on this diary to persuade others to likewise read it, I won't mind, but my main purpose is to get as many people to read Blumenthal's piece.

Let me offer only this much of that piece, it's conclusion:

Why did I write this? Because I’m hearing more and more about online courses that may take the place of teachers. And I can‘t help but wonder what would have happened in my life if my French class had been an online course..

Please, go and read the entire thing.