Are we doing what is best for our students or are we doing what is most convenient for us?
This is a very loaded question from Dr. McLeod's blog posting. I keep thinking about the teacher assessments that are being implemented this school year throughout the state. Are teachers going to do what is best for their students which will enhance their learning opportunties and result in better test results? Or are teachers going to resort to teaching in their convenient style to weather the storm of being evaluated?
In previous years, teachers might decide to take the plunge and integrate technology into their lessons and allow the technology savy students to gain hands-on opportunities. Teachers could attend professional development workshops or take online trainings to see and interact with the various advancements. They would return with the excitement to start the school year with a fresh approach to instruct this year's digital kids. Even take the approach of learning from the students while using these different forms of technology. At the end of the year, the teachers would look back and see that the journey was well worth the investment.
Now to the 2011-12 school year. A teacher is faced with a 3% contribution to the Florida Retirement System. Counties have continued to increase insurance contributions as well. As if that is not enough on the plate, you add a brand new teacher evaluation system. Teachers are facing a very scary and uncertain 10-month school year. The phrase "resorting to old reliable" might seem to be the anthem for this year. Teachers who utilize technology will continue to have it as a vital piece in their daily puzzle. Unfortunately, veteran teachers with little or no technology experience will most likely stick to the teaching that has worked for them over the years. Especially, when the teachers know that their principals will be visiting the classrooms with iPads in hand. It seems that this year teachers might need to do what is best for them.
Wow! Your school is still using the same technology from 1988?! Glad to hear that you are getting an upgrade soon. I am also a newer teacher who tries to incorporate as much technology as possible throughout my lessons and daily classroom routines. I find it helpful and successful. I teach Kindergarten so anything with technology tends to completely engage my students. They are attentive and interested which is great and sometimes difficult as this young age. Also, I think you are right about teachers getting out of their comfort zones. Don't we as teachers ask the students to do that for us?? Older teachers especially need to understand that times are changing. In order to connect with the students and make an impact on their learning these teachers need to make the changes too.
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