well...this is interesting. Facebook wins the discussion debate!

I found a great link on a fellow educator's blog. I watched the video, thought it was wonderful and decided to share it, too. So where would I reach the most people? No one seems to read my blog, so I did a little experiment. I posted the link on my facebook page. And within hours, I had people (educators and parents and grandparents) commenting, discussing and reposting it on their facebook pages. It's going viral. I'm trying to follow the discussion on their pages and it's interesting. I'm learning a lot more from following this then following any of the educator's blogs. I believe that in this age, we need to do a better job of reaching the parents and asking their opinions. They are concerned, if the responses are any indication, of what kind of education we are offering their children. Why can't schools acknowledge and reward their students for their specialties? Why is school just catering to people who will enter university? Why is that the "highest" level track? When I went to high school (or so many years ago), there weren't many options. We did have a woodworking and home economics electives, but basically there were two tracks: university entrance and the other. There was a definite hierarchy. I'm not sure much has changed...
Personally, I have noticed this with my children. All 4 of them found academics easier than the average student, but what they really wanted to do, what really inspired them, was the creative arts...music, drama, dance. And yet, I find myself wanting to encourage them to pursue "real" jobs, jobs that will be secure and financially viable. I'm too much of an old school educator. So I'm trying...