Virtual learning can teach too
Re: “More camp, not more school,” from readers, Oct. 4
Marla Coleman is on target when she asks: “Would 30 days have been better passed in school, preparing for more tests, or in a virtual classroom without walls, practicing for life’s circumstances?” She went on to say that “camp enhance[s] the platform for learning: self-esteem, independence, leadership, friendship skills, social comfort, peer relationships, courage, environmental awareness, values (ethics) and spirituality.” My experiences support her view.
We need more camp and virtual education rather than more of the same failing brick-and-mortar schools.
Technology today provides inexpensive laptop learning tools for virtual education. These, together with guidance, can do more than bricks and mortar and classrooms can. The state of Maine, among others, has done it. The One laptop Per Child project has provided about 2 million rugged laptops for kids in other countries, and it will soon produce more with its new less-than-$100 tablet PC. Australia did it with its outback via high-frequency radio beginning after World War II.
It’s time educators realize that everyday relationships can be enhanced by camps and similar activities while using inexpensive laptop learning. The Internet can complement camps with facts and knowledge not otherwise readily available. Laptop learning can provide a continuous learning process during summer “vacation” periods and throughout the year inexpensively.
More “camp” and virtual learning systems are needed.
G. Stanley Doore
Silver Spring
How are taxes going to be cut?
Republicans claim they are going to cut taxes. Always the question arises as to how they are going to do this. I believe I have several suggestions that specify how they can and will accomplish this.
First of all, they can get rid of the unnecessary red tape that now “runs” the government. This is always a bother, and takes unnecessary time, not to mention the cost of processing it. So by ridding ourselves of this nuisance we can save considerably, and release the wasted money for use in the private sector, so it can hire the help it needs to keep its businesses going, not to mention the money it can put into updating its equipment.
Then we can cut down on the cost of running the government, period. Let’s get rid of the million-dollar wrenches, as well as the millions of dollars our officials insist on having for their trips overseas, not to mention the extra vacations they take here at home.
Also, when something needs to be repaired, let’s fix it right the first time. This cuts out the waste of both money and time.
Finally, we can offer medical attention, as well as other needs, only to those who really need it. The best rule here is to let the private organizations accomplish what they can, and use government aid, which is also government intervention, only when all else fails. Same goes for education, which almost always can be handled best at the lowest level of government, or better yet, private clubs and organizations.
I am sure there are other things we can do, but these would be a very good starting point.
Judson Brandes
Baltimore
