Rate MySpace

Borrish sent out an e-mail to the rest of the English department with a suggestion on creating lesson plans. She thought it would be “neat” to supplement lessons with a new-fangled method of communicating, MySpace. She encouraged us to think of ways to present lessons like The Raven or The Catcher in the Rye through a “hip format.”

Hmmm, well the school’s filtering system doesn’t allow access to social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook or Twitter because policy forbids them, so it would be a bit hard to do. Unless she is thinking I’m going to create these pages and moderate them at home.

Also, I’m going to suggest to our IT department to check the settings on our filtering software because Borrish had to have sent this e-mail back in 2004 when MySpace was relevant and we’re just getting it now. Get with the times Borrish. I’m half-expecting a telegram from her about an idea she has about having the class read along to a phonograph recording of The Chambered Nautilus.

Finally, let my own fuddy-duddiness come out here and point out that education is something that should be put up on a pedestal of high standards. Sadly, those left in charge of education have decided to lower itself down to the masses rather than pulling them up to excellence.

Yes, I know we have to get the students interested and reach to them at the level, but the last time I checked, America isn’t quite the badass we think we are. We’re fat. The economy is in the crapper; and let’s face it, test scores haven’t been putting other countries to shame. I don’t know this for sure, but I’m guessing that the countries on the rise are probably following a different game plan, you know, by learning with materials that delve deep into subjects rather than a MySpace page with the game “Whack a Boss” on it. Can good messages be delivered with social networking? Yes, but I’m not talking about messages. I’m talking about learning.

There’s a difference.