Cobblestone & Cricket: Response to Article

"Technology-literate kids can't see value of English" by Michael Oleske was originally published in the November 18^th, 2001, edition of the Baltimore Sun. Read the full text online here.

Education Quote from Michael Oleske:: "There's pleasure in reading," Miller said. "Without thinking about it, the schools took a lot of pleasure out of that process."

Pat Miller is the coordinating supervisor of academics for Prince George's County, Baltimore, Maryland.

The reference was to years of English classes where the reading of Shakespeare was followed by tests of multiple-choice questions, true-false, and fill-in-the-blanks. It was easier for teachers to grade such questions. What was lost, though, was the sheer joy of language.

"And that's what we're trying to get back," said Miller.
Munro's Commentary:: This is what I have been saying for years. Computers may decrease oral language skills, reading ability, penmanship, thinking and writing ability.

Cars make our bodies flabby and weak; do computers to the same thing to our minds and culture? Of course, this neoluddite still likes to memorize poetry, read for hours, underline quotes and write with quill pens upon papyrus and parchment. (Just for fun!!! I usually type nowadays.)

But seriously, the computer does too much work for the students and doesn't allow them to develop their spelling, grammar and vocabulary skills. Not every class should be computer driven. In fact, to try to do so is prohibitively expensive. Few schools could keep their technology updated and, in a few years, their technology will be obsolete. By contrast, literacy and numeracy and cultural awareness is never obsolete.

I insist that all students participate and express themselves orally and I insist that all rough drafts be hand written. Only final drafts are typed (and for my high school students who have little access to computers it is optional for egalitarian reasons.) I insist my students do outside reading in history (They love reading CALLIOPE^® and COBBLESTONE^®.) and make lists of vocabulary and cultural literacy people, laws, books and terms for their mini-book reports.; Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved.

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