Before reading Thomas L. Friedman's The World is Flat, I'm afraid I was one of the 'clueless' people he describes. The internet for me has been a valuable tool, but this is my first attempt to contribute information on the internet. I currently work in an international factory as I put myself through college. The company has plants in Germany, China, Australia and the U.S. (to name a few), and I have heard the terms "outsourcing" and "offshoring" before. I have seen the company's employees change from an almost all caucasian american background to a mix of nationalities, including Indian, Cuban, Bolivian, Samalian,Vietnamese, and Thai. How does this relate to teaching you might ask? As teachers in this rapidly growing global society, we have to prepare our students to be more competative and to use the sources the internet provides. If we fail to use these new technologies to benefit the classroom, we are not properly preparing students for their futures.

Friedman states, "The great challenge of our time will be to absorb these changes in ways that do not overwhelm people or leave them behind" (49). Within the last two years I have seen the anxiousness in my fellow employees that comes from being overwhelmed rise. I believe Friedman's concern is valid. The next generation of students are growing up with the internet. It will not be a "nice new tool for them" but a way of life.Emailing, blogging and setting up websites for our classrooms is now essential. I am still struggling with this realization however. Prior to reading The World is Flat I had not payed close attention to how the internet will be integrated into the classroom and now I'm just realizing what an impact it has made for the future job market, for our students.