02.08.05 Tuesday@REI NOTES: A needed dialogue begins? But no PD in sight! - from attendee Bill Vasu

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Wed, 02/09/2005 - 02:29.
Submitted by Bill Vasu on February 9, 2005 - 1:06am.

It was a memorable opportunity to listen to three workers on the front lines of education in our region discuss their respective programs and insights. Clearly each has fully invested head and heart in efforts to make learning a successful priority in our community.

It was the beginning of what I hope is an emerging public dialogue about the ways that various modes of delivering public education can work together to span both the full range of ages and the full diversity of needs that exist. It was clear to me from the talks that we are ready to abandon the stovepipe isolation of independent actors and move to a network of interwoven regional threads in support of an effective comprehensive curriculum. I welcome sessions like this which accelerate the pace.

Our only major daily newspaper needs to give more emphasis to facilitating and reporting this type of dialogue between and among those working daily in the trenches of educational effort. It needs, perhaps, to learn a few lessons from those, like the panelists at this session, who, without attention or fanfare, are going about our community each day and making real education happen. I would encourage any interested member of our NEO community to regularly engage with the thought and action leaders represented at Tuesday@REI.