I like Elena's model of teacher training, compiling the teaching material. Especially, when she talked about the war, when children read the newspapers and answered the important questions, such as "How do we best understand and study war?" There is a kind of connection between teacher and students and environment.

I am so very disapppointed in Florida education. My 1st grade son's "monthly" homework is nonsense and way below my standards and so un-challenging and not creative! "Tell someone in your family something nice about them." "Count to 100." "Write these 5 letters for practice." And I just found out that this is to be the ONLY homework my son will get all year, from a monthly calendar...a note turned in at the end of the month that the tasks were completed, no proof to turn in to the teacher at all! I never had any interest in teaching, but my want for my kids to get a better education makes me want to jump right in. I've always said, from when I was young that integrating different subjects towards one project will help people learn better and be interested. So many kids, myself included hate school once junior high or high school came. Barely retaining anything, hating being there, A grades starting to go downhill....there must be something better. We did a large group project in history and that is the one thing I remember out of school and school projects. I retained alot of what I learned, statistics and numbers we learned. And to this day I have a large interest in the subject. Just think about what we can do for nature by teaching this way and making people interested in it. Watching these videos makes me want to cry. Not enough importance is put on quality education, everyone just scrambles to meet the minimums. I really appreciate what you do!!!!