Winter Solstice

Yesterday saw much of eastern Iowa in snow and windy conditions which caused schools to be released early and evening activities to be cancelled.  A typical event that occurs several times throughout most school years.  Yesterday was also an opportunity to view the unusual event of a total lunar eclipse.  Not only an eclipse, but one on the Winter Solstice. Wow!  And then to be obscured by clouds . . .  But now we live in an age where technology can offer a solution.  Several sites offered "live" web coverage of the eclipse and I have also seen several photos and videos posted on websites and you tube.  Great way to use technology but I am concerned that it offers an excuse for many to not get outdoors and experience the eclipse directly.

Although a rough metaphor, I am going to make the jump to that of comments made by Iowa's own Tom Harkin yesterday.  This is reported in "The Answer Sheet" blog by Valerie Strauss on Washington Post.com http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/congress/a-highly-qualified-gift-from-c.html
The office of Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), who is chairman of the Senate’s education committee, sent this statement late today:

“There is broad, bipartisan agreement among members of Congress and the Obama administration that it is the intent of Congress for alternative-route teachers to be considered highly qualified, consistent with the regulation that has been in place for several years. Chairman Harkin strongly believes that teacher quality is essential to student success, and intends to address this issue as part of a comprehensive ESEA reauthorization. While that process is underway, the 9th Circuit’s decision – which reverses a previous court ruling in favor of the regulation – could cause significant disruptions in schools across the country and have a negative impact on students. Maintaining current practice is a temporary solution, and underscores the need to act quickly and reauthorize ESEA early in the next Congress.”

Well, that is interesting.  Indirect experiences make you "highly qualified"?  I might be able to accept "qualified" in the sense that it is a warm, human body in a room that can be responsible for student behavior.  But where do we start to consider the learning?  Is there anything to be said about a warm,human body performance that engages learners and encourages a continued quest for learning?

Of course, our work here with the Teacher Quality Partnership grant is bridging the expression from "highly qualified" to "highly effective".  Now that is a whole other realm to wonder about what Tom would define to be.