Thomas Friedman's "The World Is Flat"

[Charley Norkus]

As I will most likely not be available for Thursday’s (10/16) online discussion, I wanted to pass on some talking points for "Flat" in hopes that you will respond to this discussion.

So far, I've read (actually listened) through Ch 9, just starting "The Virgin of Guadalupe" on the way home last night. Probably because I am currently teaching Recent International Relations as well as US History, my talking points may sound more political than others, but here they are:

1. We must do a better job as a country of reaching out to India, the largest ally with which we share an "English" culture. On both an individual and business level things may be going fine (except for the huge transfer of jobs from "here" to "there"), but laws and military decisions are still made within political boundaries, so we need to publicly make both countries and its citizens (esp. here in America) aware of our mutual ties and interests.

2. China as a country is taking over the world, and it will succeed. It has overwhelming natural and human resources, it has a plan, and it is implementing it quite successfully. This next following-up point is mine and not so far mentioned by Friedman: China will first take over economically; after that, when or if it takes over politically will only be a matter of its choosing and discretion.

3. America as a civilization has seen its highpoint. As optimistic (while sounding all the warnings) as Friedman is, there's no reason to think that America's ability to create the "next thing" will continue: we are losing the education race in a dramatic spiral fashion, and we may have already lost that "innovation" spot to Japan.

Now, although it may certainly sound like it, I am NOT throwing in the towel - I've known since I started teaching in 1976 that we teachers are fighting the losing battle, but it's a great and noble fight (soundtrack from Star Wars, Braveheart, Narnia, and Arthur please), one that's knocked me out of the ring a few times, but not knocked me out! Not yet, anyway - the paper pushing PGP, Blue Diamond, and standards mongers may succeed where over-doting, enabling parents have failed, but right now I'm back and I'm still swinging. What can we do from here to turn this tide around? ... I'm hoping that Dr. Tom will provide some really practical and feasible clues in the rest of the book.
How about you? What are your thoughts?

[Staci Lyon]

I'm always interested in anything that relates to EOCs :)

[Loretta Batchelor]

I have to disagree with you on one point...lateral entry teachers. No you can't be a lateral entry doctor, but in order to be a lateral entry teacher you have to have a degree in the subject area and take education classes in order to be fully licensed. I myself am a lateral entry teacher and believe that I am just as strong as a teacher who had all the education classes before entering the classroom. I also believe that because of my previous experience, I bring more "real world" activities and teaching to my classroom. I also believe that lateral entry teachers have more creativity, think more "outside-the-box" and are more willing to take the challenges that come in teaching and the educational environment. Now, I do however agree that some lateral entry teachers are not the best fit, but just like all professions you have your good and bad employees. I do think that the new "highly qualified" standards have helped keep and retain good teachers and the requirement that teacher assistants now have to have a 2-year associates degree is moving in the right direction. However, as the book pointed out, technology and being a life-long learner is essential in any arena. As teachers we must stay ahead of our students and never give up the opportunity to get a certification, learn a new computer program, or any other staff development activities that come our way. Although, i do believe that our government officials especially here in North Carolina need to re-evaluate teacher pay and get it up to the national average in order to keep good teachers in our classrooms. Also, as I stated clearly in the Elluminate session, Career and Technical education is the crucial piece that must stay in the high school curriculum's in order to teach the 21st century technology necessary in today's job market. As of now, the Huskin's grant that funds most of our programs (CTE) is on the chopping block yet again. Every year it is one of the first funds the government tries to cut from. We must be vigilant and keep abreast of the happenings in the legislature and write, call and email them our concerns. Otherwise the world will continue to flatten and the US will not be very strong.

[Staci Lyon]

I agree there is always good with the bad. And I applaud those that want to help educate students whether they went to college to be an educator or have come from the outside. However, I wouldn't say that since I haven't experienced the business world or another profession that I lack the creativity or the willingness to take on challenges. Nor would I say that for you as a lateral entry teacher that you are not able to teach and be good at it. But according to the Wake County' Public Schools' website, "Lateral entry allows qualified individuals to obtain a teaching position and begin teaching right away, while obtaining a license as they teach." It's just interesting to me that the license is obtained while teaching as apposed to prior to stepping foot in the classroom.

As you stated from the book, being a life-long learner is essential. Which is why I and many of the teachers I know look forward to staff development and other learning opportunities. I think that all teachers need to continue to learn new tricks.

[Laura Benfield]

A student in New Zealand posted this http://netgened.grownupdigital.com/video/education-choice

He makes some excellent points for educational reform in the flattening world. He is right! We are forcing the creativity out of our students and not preparing them for their future. I agree that students need to be offered more choices in courses that they are interested in. We also need to provide more "hands-on" instruction for our students. They need to be able to use their resources to find the answers, and not just be required to memorize a bunch of useless knowledge.

[Katheryn Stewart-Riggs]

Laura, What a good point that students should be learning knowledge that they can really use and not just retain long enough to take a test.