The Students’ Education Proclamation

By Marina Leight

on March 25, 2009

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It is about time. But, who is going to tell those teachers who feel they are saddled by the NCLB constraints? We have many young teachers who are beginning...

It is about time. But, who is going to tell those teachers who feel they are saddled by the NCLB constraints? We have many young teachers who are beginning to form a solid base in the world of education, as the older teachers are "given the boot." However, many are being thwarted by endless striving to show statistical gains--without the "living skills" being considered. Hopefully, the changes described will convince the "powers that be" that students need practical living skills to be successful in today's society, not just empty scores.

By $commentName

on Mar 30, 2009

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7 more comments

Whereas our education directly impacts our future, be it proclaimed that we, the students from around the world, resolve that:

Our education will be reflective of and relevant to the world of work.
Students of all ages will have unfiltered access to knowledge and information utilizing modern technologies, as well as a safe learning environment for all. And with this access to the information and disinformation in the world, our teachers will educate us on how to discern the difference.
The learning environment will offer multiple media and technology resources in which we, the students, can gather knowledge and information, such as video conferencing, gaming, online, interactive experiences and more.
Learning will be individualized and aimed at mastery of ability.
"Technology literacy" will be defined as the ability to use technology tools. It will also mean that technology is understood so that we, the students, can actively participate in decision-making processes regarding policy and regulation that affects access to technology.

Let your voice be heard! Converge, in partnership with Project Tomorrow, is staging a Web collaboration focused on the collective voice of students. The Education Proclamation’s goal is to help students’ perspectives become acknowledged — to grab the attention of our public and elected officials, and have them hear what students have to say about their rights to a 21st-century education.

Please leave your comment below about what your students say are their rights for access to knowledge and information. We want to know their opinions!

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From Bob

on Mar 30, 2009

From Dave

on Mar 30, 2009

This is a great idea. However, we need the powers that be to really understand that this is the future of education, not standardized testing. This is a great guide to designing a better education system. The world changes to fast for pure information to be useful. Students need to be able to communicate, collaborate, research, find information, and solve problems to be successful.

From LeiLani Cauthen

on Apr 15, 2009

Hey all - this program is planned to be represented to elected officials in formal signing ceremonies -- including several Governors.

From Sera

on Apr 27, 2009

As a teacher myself I my hardest to ensure all students are educated for the world ahead. Unfortunately many of our schools do not have the funds to provide the technology and resources needed to prepare our students for this high tech world. In my school, which is right next to Google, we have no computer lab and few functioning student computers. How can we ever prepare our students for the world ahead when the Education budget being cut by 50% by the state? Preparing kids for the future costs money today. I feel this article is a great idea but will not become a reality until Education becomes a priority.

From Dallas McPheeters

on May 2, 2009

I'm disappointed in number 1 since I believe there is more to life than mere 'work.' Have we allowed uncontrolled corporate greed to redirect the purpose of education? Do we remember why we educated ourselves prior to industrialization? Do we believe Plato, Pascal, and Galileo educated themselves for 'work?' Is the mind useful only for 'work?' What about art, music, culture? Perhaps this is why we still use less than 10% of our brain's capacity. Because we think education's duty is to turn out drones for the continual, mundane turning of society's cogs. Wake up students! There's much more to education than 'work.' Education should be relevant to 'life' and life is much more all-encompassing than the time and space to which we've limited ourselves. IMHO only. No worries.

From Mary Schenck Ross

on Jun 24, 2009

There is also a resistance to technology... period... from the teacher's unions. It is not all NCLB, although that is a huge problem. Standardized testing in only mathematical/logical and linguistic learning strengths will always be a negative until there is the integration of authentic assessment-type multiple intelligence projects and ideally, adaptive assessments based on the learning strength profile of the student. And being able to easily "grade" them is not the problem. In addition, the union need to stop blocking salaries being commiserate with value, not tenure.

From Cheryl H.

on Feb 3, 2010

Where is the utopia schools not controlled by some kind of filters? "Access denied" is the mantra for me and my students. When asked to open a site that has any "public" posting, the standard answer is anyone or anything can be viewed there. How can I teach my students responsibility when I can't give them any? Would you teach your child to drive but never put him behind the wheel?

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