“What do you do about the boys’ education?” I get asked that question all the time. Granted, given the fact that John and I are long-time teachers most people assume we know what the boys need to learn and know how to teach it. But the reality is we mostly allow Mother Nature to be their teacher.--Family on BikesYou can't help but wonder about education when those lucky - and resourceful - families - pack up the kids and hit the road.

No, this isn't another "where are the women in technology?" post. After all, we all know the answer to that question: here on BlogHer. :) Rather, this is a round-up of what some of my favorite women ed tech bloggers are thinking about these days. Some trends: reflections on their place in the profession and the technosphere, thoughts on the challenges faced by e-learners, and considerations of gaming. Reflections

You probably know by now that BlogHer has joined the DonorsChoose Blogger Challenge for 2008.  To do my part for the cause and as a tribute to my love of handbags, I decided to have a handbag raffle.  For a $10 donation to any one of the very worthy projects on my Megan's Minute Handbag Raffle Giving Page you'll buy yourself an opportunity to win the stylish tote pictured below.  And more importantly, you'll be doing something to help public school students learn.

There are few feelings more powerless for a parent than finding your child in a bullying situation.  It is heartwrenching, for both parent and child.  And though the profile of the bullying issue has been gradually raised over the last several years, it's still a situation that often leaves parents and kids wondering what to do next.

As a mother of two young children, I believe in exposing them to a variety of outdoor experiences to help them learn about the world.

Dean Dad recently experienced a forehead-slapping moment about bilingual education:

Which would you choose: a modest salary and with modest regular pay raises and a guaranteed position as long as you weren't negligent at your job, or a higher salary and bigger raises in an environment where the people you supervised underwent high-stakes tests every year--and where you underwent annual evaluation (to determine whether you get a raise, retain your job, or are fired) based in part on their performance on the test?

Late last month I looked at presumptive Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain's education plan and found it lacking. Now it's time to examine the education plan of his presumptive opponent, Democratic Senator Barack Obama. As always, I encourage you to read the plan yourself; you can see an outline of Obama's plan and download the full versions of his K-12 education and college affordability plans.

Have you seen presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain's education plan? McCain presented his plan in a speech to the NAACP last week. What's most interesting to me about the plan is that it combines federal and very local oversight of schools--and in so doing presents a number of conundrums and possibilities.

Did you know: " • An extra year of primary school boosts girls’ eventual wages by 10 to 20 percent. An extra year of secondary school: 15 to 25 percent. (George Psacharopoulos and Harry Anthony Patrinos, “Returns to Investment in Education: A Further Update,” Policy Research Working Paper 2881 [Washington, D.C.: World Bank, 2002].)

Southern California teacher Karen Salazar has been let go from Jordan High School because she was "brainwashing" students with an Afrocentric curriculum. Salazar's mentor, a veteran teacher assigned to her, disagrees:

There's something about going to school that keeps my brain active. I don't know if it's the sustained reading, the intellectual discussions, the constantly changing subjects and challenges--or just the motivation I get from regular essay deadlines. But since finishing my schooling (yeah, right, as if I'll never go back), my brain has definitely slowed.