Professional development works best when it supports teachers at all levels for an extended time.
Lisa Fratt
Sarasota’s instructional technology director, Mike Horan, not only bought and installed 3,000 interactive whiteboards in one year, he also trained each teacher extensively to make sure they take full advantage of the tools.
“We would not have signed the purchase order without a sound plan for [it],” states Mike Horan, Sarasota (Fla.) County Schools instructional-technology director. That “it” he’s talking about is a key piece of many other school projects. No matter where you are located, no matter what technology is being bought, the biggest part of all these projects just might be the least discussed.
[Ian Bryan] I am getting a lot of questions about BarackObama. If you are on the fence about him, I encourage you to go straight to his track record, free of marketing spin:
Because I have been watching him for so long, people call me to confess when they fall into the Obama lure. I get updates from friends almost every day on his latest movements. This is the most insane primary season I recall - and I like it. I like it because for the first time in my adult life (I’m 33, so that’s not much), we’re seeing the democratic process in full swing. For some reason the media doesn’t mention this much, but we’re seeing all-time record votor turnout in almost every state. The Clintons, who are losing fast, run one of the most powerful machines in the world. The only reason Barack Obama is in the lead is because people are voting and yes they do want, for all of the criticism, a charismatic leader with a message of change.
I came out early in support of BarackObama because I had been observing his political career since he took office in Illinois. At the turn of the century, I spent a few years working in the Mayor’s office in Chicago. Even then, he was a hot topic of hopeful gossip. I volunteered as a district coordinator for his Springfield run and later, as a volunteer region leader during his Senate campaign, watched him in action behind the scenes.
Chicagoan’s voted in full force for him because they have spent the past decade reading about his results as a legislator in the daily papers. He accomplished things in Illinois - around ethics reform, workers rights, healthcare and neighborhood community empowerment that no one has ever accomplished before and most don’t dare to try. So I guess I am trying to say that I have a sense of who he is. And not only do I support him, I believe his Presidency has the potential to invigorate and speed up the wheels of social progress. Before you go and get out your Jesus Christ Superstar soundtrack album, I challenge you to imagine… what will it be like when he is President? If you really play that tape, chances are you’ll be sold as well.
The world is waiting. The planet is warming. We need the citizenry to wake up, gear up and get to work leading one another towards our own predestined, humanistic revolution. Yes, we can.
sensiblecity
interactiv
ecocity
andrewfletcher
