Letters: Online education presents ‘array of opportunities’; Long waits at South Atherton light
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Online education presents ‘array of opportunities’
The current school closures have forced many of us to re-evaluate how to effectively educate and engage students. From my experience, online education presents a wide array of opportunities.
I have been teaching in a public, cybercharter school for 11 years. I enjoy the connections that I am able to make with my students. I also enjoy seeing the students interact with each other as their friendships develop.
For teachers new to online education, try just one or two new things at a time. When implementing a new strategy, don’t overwhelm yourself. Remember, ask the students their opinion on the tool or strategy you are implementing. Their input is invaluable.
Students will also need to learn to manage their time effectively. Help your students to create a calendar that blocks out specific times for their classes and when they will complete their homework.
Encourage students to be actively engaged in their online classes. Their experience will be more enjoyable if they get involved in the learning process.
Don’t judge the effectiveness of cyber education too quickly. Remember, new learning tools and strategies take time to develop. Be open to discovering what works best for your online classroom. There are various modes of education and no one type fits all students.
A few weeks ago, cyber education was not the norm, but that doesn’t have to make it less effective than traditional education. The art of discovery is at the heart of education. And, we are all in this together.
Long waits at South Atherton light
On a recent morning around 10 a.m. as I drove on Branch Road to cross South Atherton Street, I think I would have been able to read the book “War and Peace” while waiting for the light to change. About eight cars traveled both ways on South Atherton while I waited. I like to read, but this is ridiculous. Does anybody pay attention to the traffic light timing?
America’s founding myth of the ‘righteous rebel’
Our country’s founding myth of a righteous rebellion against tyranny remains deep in the American psyche, and yet we rarely hear this myth invoked in any way worthy of its origin. The COVID-19 lockdown protesters are the most recent example of how the rallying cry of “freedom” has become an excuse for selfishness and the refusal to accept even the most minor inconvenience. This trend is inseparable from the rise of an unhealthy skepticism that rejects authority not on the basis of merit but on the refusal to accept undesirable facts. As a result the concept of the “righteous rebel” is morally bankrupt. While our founding myth will not disappear anytime soon, this pandemic has shown that we must mature beyond the notion that rejecting authority is inherently noble.