Oct 14, 2008
Are we preparing our kids
In this months eschool news in an article called Teach 21st Century skills or the US will fail the author discusses what we need to think about as educators to better prepare our students for the world of work. Quotes like “It has become aparent that this isn’t a lack of employees being technically proficient, but a lack of employees who can adequately communicate and collaborate, innovate and think critically” or “All Americans need 21st century skills that will increase their marketability, employability and readiness for citizenship.” I hope you aren’t hearing this for the first time. And c’mon let’s look within ourselves and evaluate whether our classrooms reflect these principles. I don’t think so. As I continue to walk down hallways I am inundated with desks in rows, teachers teaching, and students just looking disinterested. Those that are interested are those that have a vision for themselves so they see why they need to learn. Those in poverty or perhaps in a situation that does not value your future this does not occur. What are we going to do about it? In the graduate course that I teach I asked teachers what is the role of technology. Even though I prompted them to no end the answers were still what their parents might have said. To improve learning or augment instruction or something like that. Nowhere was there a differentiated look at what it can do for our children. It isn’t just the skills we are developing but the customized support that only technology can provide, a way to break down walls, bring the community and everyone inside our buildings to create that global atmosphere to really educate. What would that mean?? Teachers would have to collaborate themselves with the community not just the person next door to make this happen. Isn’t this what this article is saying? How can we expect our teachers to provide this learning environment if they don’t embrace it themselves. I have become impatient with the rhetoric and hope people take a long hard look at what they are doing and providing as teaching is one of the largest responsibilities there is.
I find a major flaw in professional development. My school always seems to be catering to teachers who are “catching up” with technology, rather than teacher’s that are “current” with technology. The majority of the professional development in my builiding over the past 4 or 5 years has dealt with Power Point, Smart Boards, and E-School grading. These technologies came out years ago, but teachers are just learning about them now. There is not much focus on newer technology or methods on how to use new technology in the classroom. It leaves the teachers on their own to figure out how to use the latest innovations. This is not always possible, given time constraints on the curriculum.
Oh yeah but if that is what you have either you become more involved in the process or become part of a global community that really stimulates you. Try NYSCATE’s ning community. We all collaborate there. You need to partner yourself with visionaries and those statewide that are using the tools. I can help you with that.
nyscate.org
I fully agree that we should be making more ties in the classroom with the students’ real lives. By making those connections and drawing both the outside in and the inside out, we are making an authentic learning environment where not only students see the value of the education they are receiving, but also are gaining the real life skills necessary to become good citizens and workers.
I recently wanted to start a school-wide recycling program since there is nothing really in place for cans/bottles, and in the school that I grew up in, we had a agreement with Habitat for Humanity that they would collect the cans/bottles and then use the deposits towards one of their projects. Throughout the year, Habitat would update the school as to how much money they have donated and include pictures of the house they were building at that stage so the students could see how recycling was benefiting an outisde source and it’s progress. I thought it was amazing how much just putting my empty can in the recycling bin instead of the trash bin was able to help someone else and actually make a difference. We hear everyday that we should recycle so it helps the environment, but you neevr actually see the direct impact of how recycling has helped something else, and it really drove home how influential your choice could be.
Unfortunately, I still have not yet heard form the local Habitat for Humanity to see if they would like to start a similar program with my school, but I am still trying! Hopefully we can get something like this started in my school soon and my students can start to bring the outside in while also learning a worth-while habit in the process.
Now that is great. I was hoping someone would use a real example of how they are making changes. The next steps to this is to see how you can globalize what you are trying to do with your students. You need to connect them to the community but where else can this go
I am a strong believer that learning must be at a high interest level in order for students to retain. Therefore, we as educators must teach with this vision. Standing at the front of the classroom with students just listening is not “fun”. Hands-on learning is the best way to go!
So how are you doing that right now if you truly believe that
First it is important to realize that the education profession has continued to evaluate and revise as time has gone on. As new technologies are continually being introduced into the world, the education field has to evaluate the technologies and discover the importance and role that they can possibly play in a student’s education.
The technologies are being introduced at such a rate that their full potential is never truly realized. Teachers will often get frustrated at constantly learning all of these new strategies even though their benefits may be great.
I believe that you see technology as a tool that can help with globalization. Globalization has grasped all countries of the world and students must realize that in the future decisions in other countries can have a great impact on our own and vice versa. If students can use technology currently available to see how different countries interact and even interact with those countries they can already develop an understanding of other cultures.
The same premise can be used to enforce teachers to use more student-centered constructivist approach because those same skills will be needed when working with people from other countries. As SmartBoards seem to be the new “fad” in education, it is important that teachers do not simply use them as electronic blackboards but a tool/aid that can be utilized to incorporate more student interactive activities at all levels of education.
Nonetheless, globalization is the push in politics, economics and education and teacher must realize and adapt accordingly
dave – you are so right. Globalization is a necessary integrated part of what we do for our students. How are you personally handling that???
Thanks for yelling at us, geez. Anyway, I believe you are correct that the responses from not only our grad class, but most teachers as well, about technology is really depressing and out of date. But the major difference in our opinions is that, to me, teachers do not see technology as incredibly important either due to a conflict of educational opinion or the fact that waiting for that new technology can be better spent using what you have. I had to fight for a projector in my classroom for 2 years, I use computers in the class that were meant to be disposed of for being old, and I teach in an area that is becoming less and less relevant (Unified Arts). I would absolutely love to have the technology to do these miraculous activities in the classroom. Its just difficult when your school’s budget never passes and you lose 10% of your classroom budget every year.
I really believe technology in the classroom has to be re-evaluated. When you teach a course on technology, and your newest computer is 6 years old, while at the same time the ELA department is getting Smart Boards and ELMOS when they dont even ask for them is ridiculous. Some of the best courses I have ever taken used no technology, and I am a technology freak. Im sorry for rambling, but it is very discouraging when stuff like this happens. This is where our close minded view of instructional technology comes from.
You are right and that is the unfortunate piece. It sounds like you feel powerless in helping out your students. Do you think you can take control and make some changes on your own? Is there another way.
I agree that we as educators need to work harder these days to teach kids how to think. Through my experience teaching, I’ve noticed that many kids don’t know how to think critically. They fail to go the extra mile on an assignment or don’t analyze, question or evaluate what they read. A lot of things are done for them in life and they think the minimum is good enough. Perhaps it’s laziness, but I think students need to make sense of everything they do. According to your blog, I agree that those students who yearn to succeed will focus and work hard despite the learning environment, but for those who don’t care about their future, they need better stimulation and engagement. As educators, we need to model how technology plays an imperative role in our lives and teach that it will inevitably become more advanced in the future. Our goal should be to make every student enjoy the opportunity to learn and help them to formulate a vision for themselves for the future.
lInteresting comment about students not thinking critically and perhaps they are lazy or things are being done for them. I have a few thoughts on that – there are always and have always been students that have thought critically but for those that did not strive to that level there were employment opportunities for them. When we were a manufacturing society and most people didn’t know where Europe was we could prepare workers to be successful but not now. Our kids are the same it is the job market and society that has changed.
like the fact you recognize the need but what you are personally doing about it in your own classroom right now!!!!
“Those that are interested are those that have a vision for themselves so they see why they need to learn. Those in poverty or perhaps in a situation that does not value your future this does not occur.”
I do not agree fully with this idea. i teach in a district that is poverty stricken. I teach the students that are repeating the lowest level mathematics course offered for the second or third time. I think that this is part of the idea, but there is something more to it. In general, we all want to feel successful. That success can generate activity in a classroom. The most important aspect is to set a student up for success. When students are set up for success, and know that they can succeed, they will become interested in a topic. At least interested enough where an effective teacher can foster that interest and create a powerful student-centered learning community.
I agree that rows are a dated way to set up a classroom. However, not all subjects allow for a radical classroom arrangement. A classroom can be set up almost any way because that isn’t the real issue. If a teacher delivers a dry lesson with a monotone voice, of course the students will not be interested. A teacher should be passionate about the subject they are teaching. There should be enthusiasm, and excitement in the teacher’s voice when a lesson is delivered.
With respect to how we can use technology in the classroom, my question is at what point does it hinder learning? It spans back to the way math is taught in the Elementary level, but I see a problem when students can’t multiply 7 and 8 without using a calculator. I am finding that the use (or lack of) technology in the classroom hides the real issue. The real issue (and I am being math specific) is that there is no rote skill in our students. It follows Blooms Taxonomy that the most basic level is Recall, and students are stumbling there. I don’t care how much technology is available, but without the ability to Recall, technology doesn’t do us much good at all.
You had me at the beginning of your statement. I liked your example of engaging students and if we set the stage for them to be successful then they will know what it feels like and want it for themselves. Very good perspective. But I really lost he last part. Blooms is saying that the most basic level, recall, is not the best way to teach and that if that is what we strive for then students will not be able to apply their knowledge. I would like to see how you would look on the positive side and see how it can work rather than not.