The Canadian Record (Canadian, Tex.), Vol. 120, No. 19, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 13, 2010 Page: 23 of 40
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THE CANADIAN RECORD
SCHOOL PAGE
THURSDAY 13 MAY ZD ID
Mary Jane McKinney
TEXTING WHILE DRIVING? Dangerous , and in some states it's illegal. Texting at the din-
ner table or while someone is speaking to you? Rude, Texting in church? Rude and in-
appropriate. Using a cell phone in a public school classroom is typically against school
rules, but college is a different stoiy. The problem on college eampuses is that when stu-
dents get to clftss, they stop talking on their cell phones, but they continue to text and
read text messages while the professor lectures. Some faculties are fed up with being
ignored while students text away. Allowing students to text in class is a small but grow-
ing trend to watch. Here are some examples.
Georgia State University has partnered with Entercation, a mobile technology com-
pany, to allow students to us;e texting in the classroom. In a large lecture hall full of 250
students, a giant screen behind the professor displays anonymous questions texted by
students. Students' names and phone numbers are not shown and the system's filter
censors obscenities. The texting program is being used in 15 business courses this year.
Georgia State plans to install the text-to-screen technology in more classrooms next
year. The faculty's attitude fc"a* long as students are texting in class anyway, why not
involve them in discussion?" The texting option has proved popular with students who
are reluctant to ask questions.
Other experiments to harness the power of texting are underway in middle schools
and high schools. At Chester Middle School in Connecticut, students are allowed to sub-
mit their analyses of poetry in text messages. Science teachers at Croatan High School
in Newport, North Carolina have allowed students to use cell phones for five years. Stu-
dents who don't have, a cell phone partner with those who do. They use the camera func-
tion to photograph insects and plants and to stay in touch on field trips. Spanish teacher
Katie Titler at Pulaski High School near Green Bay, Wisconsin is in her second year of
using cell phones. Students work in pairs to answer questions in Spanish such as "Who is
your favorite performer and why?" The anonymous texts are posted on a website where
they are edited by the entire class.
What all this reminds me of is how wrong we've been about the usefulness of technol-
ogy in general. TV was touted as an educational invention. It turned out to be at least
95% entertainment. The computer was heralded as the greatest educational tool of all
time. What do we use it for? Social contact, and unless you have filters on your PC, the:
computer is the ultimate device for viewing pornography or any other "forbidden" sub-
ject. The cell phone has proved to be another social networking device, allowing people
to text and talk whenever they please.
Maybe Our shallow use of texting and talking to each other is due to free speech and
democracy. In other countx'ies the; cell phone has become a political weapon in the fight
against oppression. Texting in China is censored. We know about the violent political
protests in Thailand because ordinary citizens are using their cell phone cameras to
show the world what's going on. Iran confiscated cell phones and shut down Face Book
when the government realized that protestors were using technology to tell their story
to the outside world. In the end, Iranian protestors relied on the human voice to get their
message out. Dim TV shots showed thousands of Iranian dissidents gathered on roof-
tops at night chanting anti-goVernment slogans at the top of their lungs till dawn.
I hope that texting in the classroom is a passing trend and students won't lose their
ability to speak out and to pay attention while someone else is speaking.
EDITOR'S NDTE: Maty Jane McKinney is the founder and. CEO of Grammardog. com LLC,
a publisher of grammar exercises. She has used her English degree as a teacher, editor,
reporter, and marketing executive. Readers who haw questions or comments on this col-
umn are welcome to write to the author in care of The Canadian Record, PO Box 898,
Canadian, IX 79014, or by e-mail at: fifi@grammardog com.
\
Brownie troop plants flowers as part
of community service programs
Brownie Troop #5318 last year pur-
chased two trees and planted them at Hemp-
hill County Hospital. They also donated two
large cement planters in which they planted
colorful flowers and filled two other planters
already in place. This year, the troop pur-
chased five more pots and planted flowers in
all the planters last Friday.
This was the troop's last regular meeting
of the year that included programs: Making
Music, My Body, Science Wonders, Healthy
Habits, Senses, Recycling and Plants. A dif-
ferent Brownie mom presented the program
to the girls each month. Brownie moms also
assisted with bringing snacks and being a
chaperone to events such as to see the Nut-
cracker in Pampa, a pizza party at the park,
singing at the Abraham Home, touring the
fire station, manning cookie booths. Future
events planned include a swimming party
and a float for the 4th of July parade.
Troop leader Laura Walser said, "I would
like to Say a big thank you to all of the moms
who helped out in any way and especially to
Cheri Smith, our 'cookie mom' who organized
an amazing cookie sale!"
Brownie Troop #5318 are: Ellen Abra-
ham Peyton Dockray, Madison Gilmer,
Tracy Hill, Trinity Hill, Savanna Innis,
Hanna Kauk, Emily Perez, Paige Perry,
Ryan Pinkston, Kaitlin Shields, Lily Smith,
Dakota Suit, Lauren Thrasher, Paula Valen-
zuela, Brooke Walser, Claire Walser and
Emma Waters. Parents assisting with plant-
ing flowers were: Cheri Smith, Heidi Dock-
ray, Debbie Innis and Christa Perry.
Thank You! lhank You! Ihank you!
For your vote
& support!!!
I look forward to this opportunity to serve
you as a School Board Trustee.
Political advertising paid for by:
Betsy Alexander, 959 S. 2nd Street, Canadian, TX 79014
m
SCHOOL
LUNCH MENU
May 17 - 21
BREAKFAST: 17-Cereal, Toast/Jelly 18-Breakfast Burrito, Hot Sauce
19-Biscuits, Gravy, Bacon 20-Waffle Sticks, Sausage Pattie, Syrup
21-Honey Buns All served with juice and milk.
MONDAY
17
CES/BES:
CES: Popcorn Chicken
BES: Chicken Fry
Mashed Potatoes/Gravy
Green Beans
Hot Rolls
Milk
TUESPflV iHWEDNESDAVI;! THURSDAYKTll FRIDAY
19
CES/BES:
Pizza
Corn
Mandarin Oranges
Milk
CES/BES:
Hamburger
Chips
Salad Cups
Cheese Slices
Apples
Milk
20
CES/BES:
Fish
Macaroni & Cheese
Blackeyed Peas
Cornbread
Applesauce
Milk
21
CES/BES:
Ham & Cheese Hot Pocket
French Fries
Oranges
Milk
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Brown, Laurie Ezzell. The Canadian Record (Canadian, Tex.), Vol. 120, No. 19, Ed. 1 Thursday, May 13, 2010, newspaper, May 13, 2010; Canadian, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth220839/m1/23/: accessed May 21, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Hemphill County Library.