When it comes to conversations about public education, the Internet has taken up a place along with the coffeehouse and PTA meetings as a preferred forum. And the educational services group BOCES is getting in on the action.
In August of 2012, BOCES launched EducationSpeaks.org, a blog designed to present news and commentary on education to communities, and let them in on the conversation. The blog is sponsored by Capital Region BOCES in collaboration with other BOCES groups, and focuses mainly on Upstate New York.
Jill Aurora, one of Education Speaks’ main contributors and founders, said the group wanted to initiate a conversation, especially between parents and educators. School district officials also can use the blog and discuss issues or post an entry about something going on in the district. She said they also have followers on Facebook and Twitter, and sometimes Tweet questions and comments to county legislatures.
“We just want to provide an opportunity for people to hear the real story from public education from the educators themselves,” Aurora said. “I would love for it to be a place for people to come and ask questions about education.”
Narrowing in primarily the Upstate region, District Superintendent of Capital Region BOCES Charles Dedrick said it’s important to have “all points of view, to have the opportunity to be heard.”
“Some of this information isn’t really carried anywhere else. There’s national education blogs, but the fact is there’s nothing like that (which) provides opportunity for a voice in Upstate New York, at least that I know of,” Dedrick said.
Blog posts vary from positive stories about student achievement from more than 150 school districts to videos concerning specific educational concerns to the looming budget cuts most districts face. Dedrick said right now, one of the major topics being discussed is Gap Elimination Adjustment school aid.
While much of the blog consists of parents and educators asking questions and commenting on posts, Aurora said it’s essential to hear from kids as well. For the second year in a row, the blog has started a “Kids Speak” campaign, asking that students to submit essays, poems, drawings or videos highlighting a part of education that is important to them. The Education Speaks editorial board will review the submissions and selected entries will run on the blog during the month of May.
Last year, the site received more than 100 submissions ranging from students talking about classes they enjoyed to teachers that inspired them. North Colonie Central School District is one of the many districts encouraging students to get involved with “Kids Speak.”
“They are the prime consumers of the service of education. We want to know what they think,” said North Colonie Central School District Superintendent Joseph Corr. Corr was featured in a video on a blog post on Jan. 31 discussing some of the fiscal crises schools are facing in their budgets.
Once budget season is over, Dedrick said BOCES hopes to start up more conversation on the adoption of the Common Core Standards. Dedrick said he believes the new standards are a step in the right direction but he’s concerned about students sitting down to take a test they are unfamiliar with.
Dedrick added that they are always looking for more people to join in on the discussions.
“I think the more that there is, the better it is,” he said. “It’s not about giving advice. It’s about creating a place for people to have a sounding board to bounce ideas around.”
Submissions for Kids Speak can be emailed to [email protected] and must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on April 19. For more information, visit educationspeaks.org.