It is on 10 questions no answer.

How long should classes be for deep learning?

The first thing I gathered is that it is different for every level.

Some levels 6 minutes is a max.

Older students perhaps 10 minute increments.

Another suggestion was a longer day for perhaps a third of all students. (struggle rs)

#2 How do we get parents more involved in school.

If you feed them they will come!

Books and Breakfast - Great motivator. First hand knowledge IT WORKS

Door Prizes at Teacher Conference ???????

Grades for Conference (has to be handled carefully)

Texting Parent - Text parent if a child doesn't get adequate grades.

Are the texts intrusive to parents.

Perhaps let them opt in.

#3 How can we create lunch periods long enough for kids to actually eat, visit, and digest?

Jr. High Students are 25 minutes. Is this long enough.

Some feel yes? I'm not sure.

Tech Happiness could be a part of the lunch hour. It is a great time for them to learn and explore technology.

Students need to know how to be technically functional.

When is texting appropriate? Perhaps this is a good time explore.

Should students be confined to the table.

#4 In today's economic world, what if we took Springs off instead of Summers, so we could enjoy the weather? Benefits? Drawbacks?

Problems - Farming communities.

Take off during slow times in the farming and ranching industries.

Transition into this schedule would be an issue. Neighboring communities.

Short breaks?

Children lose a ton of content during the summer months.

Non seasonal work for students during the short breaks.

Tradition is a tough obstacle to overcome.

#5 What would happen if we created all "applied learning" classes and no longer compartmentalized learning? How would our worlds change?

Applied Learning? What would we learn.

Do students compartmentalize themselves?

The real world is not compartmentalized.

Two stumbling blocks. Teachers are great in a specific field and not in several different areas. "Old Fart" teachers who refuse to change.

Team teaching - 10 students to a class? Cover all areas of education.

Finding teams that work could be a challenge.

Extended blocks. Perhaps would allow districts to experiment with the concept.

Is it better to know a lot about a little or a little about a lot. The age old question.

#7 Why do we still track students primarily by age when we know that age might be the least appropriate ways to group students for learning?

Parental pressure! Parents are the biggest issue. many refuse to allow any kind of change in class rank.

Should parents send children to school before age 6.

many times it is a financial burden on families. A sad situation but a reality for many working families.

A list of skills that have to be mastered before promotion.

Why are we promoting students who do not pass standards.

#8 Does every kid need to go to a 4 year college to be successful and happy.

I know from personal experience that the answer is no. Many children need to follow a different path.

We as educators are snobs we want every student to follow in our steps and attend the 4 year school.

We need to be open to other paths.

It is more difficult for a woman to find a career without a 4 year college than it is a man. Woman are faced with obstacles than men.

#10 What is the optimum size of school? What is too big. Too Small?

How does the use of technology and connectivity change those numbers?

15 seems to be the ideal number for this group of teachers.

Most of us would not want bigger classes with total access to technology.

Entire school size perhaps 210 K-12.

Great educations at this circle in both large and small schools.

holy cow... lots to learn there!

Does size of school have an influence on student behavior? (respect)

#10 What are things that we have gathered at this conference and other sources should we focus on to help kids be ready for the 21st century

Technology is a necessity but children still need to learn to write.

Blogging is not writing.

Children need to have soft skills.

Tardy is not acceptable.

Are students growing tired of projects.

Ginger is proud of us because we had positive conversations.

Left us with one final thought. "Plant the Seed"

Did you happen to pick up my notebook?

I left it on the table. Ginger said she would bring it out to the commons and announce it. Sorry.

thanks