How can we be productive in this society, if our school system does not teach us how to use the tools we will need to be successful?This is the mission statement of my school district:
__________________ Public Schools, in partnership
with family, and community, will provide equal opportunities through standards-based and individualized curriculum where all students become productive citizens and life-long learners in a globally diverse society.
It seems like all the school system has done to get into technology is get a couple Promethean Smart Boards and hope the teachers figure out how to use them. How much training have our teachers received on how to use and teach the tools we need? Are we taught about blogging? How about using things like Google Docs to create, store and share files online? The answer would be no.
In reality, our classrooms are not just 20-30 students anymore. Our classroom has moved beyond the actual physical space. Using technology correctly allows the entire world to serve as our classroom. If our teachers were taught these tools, and in turn showed us how to use them, one day we could collaborate with students anywhere in the world which would put us on the right track to becoming global students.
A problem we face is that teachers are not being forced to change the way they teach and as a result students are losing out. We are not learning the tools that we need for us to be competitive in a global society. The tools and technology we need to learn is not exactly new. They have been around for a long time. Teachers have no excuse for not being digitally literate. When is my school going to realize that we are getting further and further behind? When are they going to start providing educational opportunities that fall under the mission statement?
19 comments:
Junior!! Follow my blog! lol. if you dont know how to... ill teach you. I took a whole class this summer on how to do a blog. :D
Great blog. I hope your wishes come true - I wish all students were as motivated as you. Keep on challenging those who teach you - hopefully they will accept the challenge.
A teacher who is accepting the challenge.
This is a problem in lots of school systems. Not only do teachers not get the training, but in our school most of the equipment is ancient. My students have to work with computers that freeze, because they can't keep up with the websites that they visit. Keep on blogging and standing up for the things you believe in.
Emily,
Well done, and well put. You've stated your case, identified areas that need to be improved, and broadcast your message to the listening public.
You've done the first part, what a some would call the "what" part of the discussion. What will you do for the remaining two parts:
So What?
What Now?
I don't know if you plan on sharing this with the faculty of your school, or at least with one you feel might be open to it, but I think you should. Once you do that, though, there is no turning back in this process. While you may not feel it is your role, you will play a huge part in their transformation as educators.
What can you do to help the administration and staff see that there are elements of your learning that are essential to your future success that are being largely ignored? You have a wealth of resources at your disposal from some very highly intelligent and prolific people in these networks. Use the work that others have done to show your teachers, and most importantly their administrators that this is relevant and necessary to your future.
If you need anything when and if you begin this process, please don't hesitate to ask.
What do you suggest your district do in order to encourage teachers to be more tech literate? How could your class assignments be more effective and memorable using different forms of technology?
Nicely done! I hope you realize, though, that often it is not the teachers' unwillingness to be digitally literate, but the access to equipment and tools that allow them to integrate these essential learning skills into their classroom practice. I hope you get some response to your concerns. Good luck!
Great thinking, Emily, and good for you to hold your district accountable for the mission statement they publicize. Those statements often become etched on a plaque somewhere and then forgotten.
I know when I was a teacher, I really liked when I was presented with a challenge from my students. How do you think your teachers would respond if the encouragement to shift came from you instead of from the district? How do you think you could make this happen in a way that was positive and productive? Do you know any teachers at the school who want to see this happen too? Maybe you can quietly go to them and team up to start a movement.
I read that 600,000 students dropped out of school in 2008. How do we stop this hemmorage?
Emily,
I commend you on posting your thoughts and taking a stand for a better education. The reality is some school districts have been trying to get teachers trained in being able to integrate technology, more professional development, and wanting them to change/update their 20 year old lessons to teach to today's student. I think it will take comments from students like you in order for these teachers to understand the need to change for your benefit. It isn't until you make your v oice heard that things will change. Good Luck.
to cfoster: thank you for the support. i too hope my teachers will take the challenge of change
to Barbara Day: that is pretty much the same way our schools are. we have 90 minute class periods, and it takes almost half of that to get some of our computers to work
to Patrick Higgins: Thank you for the comment. You have given me a lot to think about for another post.
Thank you everyone for all of your comments and feedback. All of your ideas and questions have given me a good idea about what to put in my next post.
Great post, Emily! I work with technology at a high school, and am planning on getting a group of students together (week after next) and discussing some of these same issues - what do teachers do right, what do they do wrong, and what can students do about it?
I look forward to the next post!
Emily, I appreciate your thoughts and hope that some school leaders will read and try to understand and respond positively to your comments. I plan to share your post with leaders in the district from which I just retired. As a Technology Director in that district, my team and I pushed and encouraged and tried to provide the equipment and staff development for all of the members of the learning community. But, change in the classroom is slow and really is more quickly accomplished when students like you make thoughtfully worded and guiding suggestions to your teachers (at least to the ones who will accept those suggestions in a positive way). Best of luck to you as you try to influence changes that will impact you and your fellow students in the time you still have in that district.
Kudos Emily! As a teacher for many years it is always heartening to see students use their voice to alter their reality in positive ways.
You highlight a systemic disease in education, "It was good enough for me-itis" that continues to flourish. The symptoms are a reticence to change, resistance to professional growth, and a belief that school should be based on tradition.
All over the world students affect change: Iran, China, the old Soviet Union, Poland, Thailand. It can be the same here. Students standing up and speaking up about their own education - taking the responsibility for their intellectual growth - may very well be the tipping point. Your pushing is appreciated.
Keep your voice heard, invite others to join in, create a network of your peers across the country who will increase the volume and, don't stop! Hold your district accountable for making school relevant once again.
Well put! The situation is similar in the UK, but there are quite a few innovative educators here (and over there, I suspect) who are moving things along. There is a conundrum here though - governmental response to this has often resulted in new training intitiatives (I don't like the word 'training' much, it is what you do with animals). These often start with preconceived notions of what the technology 'is' and 'does', whereas what is needed is nimbleness and innovation on the part of both teachers and learners. It will happen eventually.....
Great Blog... And i totally agree with you, we need technology in schools. Everthing you do in life anymore contains technolgy. These are great issues that school administrators need to look into.
I look forward to following you blog :)
Tiffany
This is very true luckily my team in my school (adeste) is very involved with technology and we learn a lot from it, some students do not get the chance to do that at home. we are even getting i-touches to use :D
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