Day 43 #2: Digital Education Debate

This is a first for me. Have the day off, and felt inspired, so you get a twofer today--actually sort of a threefer, since this two-part poem could count as two.

Digital Education Debate
By Batsheva 1/13/10

Part 1. (Student's View)

I have a brand new teacher
And she really is the best
She has no way of knowing
If I'm cheating on a test

My teacher doesn't tell me
If I slouch, to sit up straight
And she will never yell at me
If I should come in late

My teacher won't complain
If my homework isn't done
And she doesn't think it's silly
If I want to have some fun

My teacher will play games with me
If I just ask her to
And she doesn't mind repeating
When she tells me what to do

My teacher doesn't wonder why
I have to "go" so much
And if I see something interesting
She never says, "Don't touch!"

My teacher doesn't care
If I burp or laugh or cough
But the best thing 'bout my teacher
Is that I can turn her off!

Part 2. (Human Teacher's Response)

Your computer's not a teacher
It's a tool, and I will say
If you think that it can teach you
You should think again today

Your computer may not know
If you need to get a drink
But it also doesn't care
If you're learning how to think

It's true that it won't mind
If you give it lots of guff
But it also won't encourage
When you're finding something tough

You know it cannot comfort
If you're having a bad day
And if you do something stellar
It will not have much to say

Your computer won't give you rewards
For doing a good job
And it will never help you learn
How not to be a slob

You know it cannot teach you
How to judge what's right or wrong
Nor can it help you understand
How people get along

It can never, ever keep you safe
From a whole wide world of risk
And nor can I, but at least I try
More than some little disk

A computer is a great device
And a super classroom feature
But to really learn
And get it right
You need a human teacher.