Whatif Uk

What If . . .

Students today can’t prepare bark to calculate their problems.

They depend on their slates which are more expensive. What

will they do when the slate is dropped and it breaks? They will

be unable to write!

Teacher’s Conference

1703

Students today depend on paper too much. They don’t know how

to write on a slate without getting chalk dust all over

themselves. They can’t clean a slate properly. What will they do

when they run out of paper?

Head’s Association

1815

Students today depend too much upon ink. They don’t know

how to use a pen knife to sharpen a pencil. Pen and ink will never replace the pencil.

National Union of Teachers

1907

Students today depend on these expensive fountain pens. They

can no longer write with a straight pen and nib. We parents must not allow them to wallow in such luxury to the detriment of learning how to cope in the real business world which is not so

extravagant.

PTA Newsletter

1941

Ballpoint pens will be the ruin of education in our country.

Students use these devices and then throw them away. The

traditional values of thrift and frugality are being discarded.

Business and banks will never allow such expensive luxuries.

Teachers

1950

You can’t use those calculators on the test. If I let you do that, you wouldn’t ever learn how to use the tables in the back of the

book and use interpolation to figure out your trig ratios.

Secondary School Maths Teacher

1980

We can’t let them use calculators in middle school. If we do, they’ll forget how to do long division or

how to multiply three digit numbers by three digit numbers.

What will they do when they don’t have access to a

calculator?

Middle School Maths Teacher

1989

Why would you ever want the Internet for student use? It’s just

the latest fad – have them use the library.

Librarian

1995

You don’t need a web page [for our school]. Who’s ever going to

look at it?

Bursar

1995

Teachers will never use email.

Primary Teacher

1998

Why do you want network points at every teacher’s desk? You’re

not thinking of getting a computer for all of them are

you?

Deputy Head

1999

What can you do with an LCD Projector that you can’t do with

an overhead projector?

AV Technician

1999

Why are we talking about students having laptops in school? I don’t think most

parents will even give their kids their old computer, much less

buy them a new one.

Chair of Governors

2000

I don’t think we’ll have a wireless network at our school anytime

soon.

ICT Subject Leader

Spring 2005

Turn off and put away all mobile Phones, iPods, and Electronic

Devices during class!

Signs around many schools

Autumn 2007

What If . . .

We’d listened?