The last paragraph of this article summarizes the thesis and makes a strong statement. Do you agree or disagree and why?
I would have to say that I am partially in agreeance with this author's statement and thesis. I do not think that there should ever be a day that complex text be eliminated from the curriculum, but I do not feel that it has to be the same texts that have been taught for generations. I feel that teachers should be able to integrate relevant texts that are more current and the students will be interested in.
The author is concerned with how students are unable to read complex texts and entering college unprepared, but he does not address how important technology readiness is for college-bound students. He is clearly looking at it from the point of academic scores, but I would argue that he must also look at how much of a role technology plays inside and outside of school. For students, even adults in general, to be successful in many job fields today, they have to have a minimum amount of technology skills. Many jobs and fields are moving towards electronic advertising and digital means of getting their company name out to the masses.
I agree that students need to leave high school at higher readiness levels than reported in this article, but I also believe that part of the way to help students succeed and excel is to provide them with both the "old" methods of teaching along with the newer way, integrating technology. There are so many possibilities out there for teachers with technology now to help these struggling and unprepared students to be ready for school, but the balance has to be found in order for the teacher to successfully teach and for the student to successfully learn.
Kellie, I agree with your ideas. I also think that technology doesn't have to be in competition with other ways of teaching- they can compliment each other. Maybe teachers could use technology to create more of an interest for their students in the older classics that may not instantly appeal to them. I think you make a good point about many jobs requiring the use of technology. We need to prepare our students to be successful in that regard and exposing them to a variety of technology can do that.
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