Remember Well!!!

It is amazing how some things cannot be completely learned.  Pick a subject, any subject!  Okay, you think history is a subject that can be 100% learned.  Well, sometimes history depends on the writer or storyteller?  Sometimes history depends on how far removed we are from what happened. I remember in speaking to my grandparents and parents – actually listening to them about their youth.  In spite of World Wars and the Great Depression, they spoke of fond memories as if the “bad” was far away from them.  Their lives revolved around family and what directly affected them.  Their stories were always first person.  It seems they were always provided with what they needed from God above.  They grew their food and harvested.  They went to war but never spoke of it.  It is the love of God and family they remember.  Yet, if we open up a history book we see a different story – stories of hate and destruction between Nations.

When I turn on my computer, I do not consider all the gadgets in it or downloads that come with it.  I entrust the manufacturer and my husband have chosen well for me.   Some things I just leave to the experts.  I figure if I can play World of Warcraft with my family with little lag, I have a great computer.  On the other hand, programs are another story.  I want user-friendly programs where I do not have to know the binary language that put it all on the screen for my use.  I leave the “how” up to individuals who have a love for puzzles.  For instance, I really do not care how Prezi works – just that it does.

There are individuals (like my husband and son-in-law) who can tell what every piece of the guts of the computer are.  I, personally, am happy all those pieces make my life easier – creating blogs, paying bills, and etcetera.  

In education, technology has made our lives easier.  Many resources can give my students an edge over my grandparents:  if they take advantage.  For example, students can turn on their computer to explore the world.  My grandparents knew only what was told to them through word of mouth or the newspaper. 

And today's classroom technology is user friendly for both teacher and student.  Old technology (overhead projectors and the like) were for the teachers use, to augment the lecture. Now, technology is used by teacher and student, making learning an interactive conversation.

Do you need to know everything about hardware and software to be a great teacher?  No, but you do need to learn the basics to be able expose your students to the technological world they are a part of and to help them use the tools.  Not all students will become the inventors but they certainly will be the users.

A Different Spin

I truly realize this post does not apply to a lot of schools and teachers, but if it does, you will be able to relate to its meaning.  Politics in the school seems to be the thoughts that come to mind when reading Hall’s chapter 5. 

Definition:

“Forming” is considered the “honeymoon” stage.  The book states this where the teachers are on their best behavior.

Scenario:

A new teacher joins a department where the team seems to be in the “performing” stage.  Everyone is nice to the new teacher, although, they wanted to choose someone else.  The new teacher believes the team is being friendly but soon realizes that she is not included in any decision-making meetings or even invited to the social click.  It is noteworthy to state the department’s state scores are low (55%) and the school is “Academically Acceptable.”  The new teacher’s students are challenging and many have labels placed upon them (SPED, ESL, At-Risk, etcetera).  The department head scores the new teacher low on walk-through evaluations without follow-up conferences.  As the six weeks progresses, the new teacher is shun from the others.  She feels isolated from her team.

Question:

What did she do?  What would you do?

Definition:

“Storming” is considered the “rocky” stage.  The assumptions, biases, prejudices, misconceptions, passions and agendas are recognized during this stage.

Scenario:

For our new teacher, this is time of realization.  She is on her own amidst, what seems to her, a pack of wolves ready to devour her at a moment’s notice.  The new teacher loves teaching and learning from her students; which becomes her focus.  She reports to the department head that her co-teacher had the smell of alcohol on her breath not realizing that this teacher was going to be named “New Teacher of the Year” in a few days.  The new teacher is labeled a troublemaker and nothing happens to the co-teacher.  The students are advancing with the new teacher’s teaching style as shown on the first benchmark.  Her overall average for the test was 72.7% while the other teacher scores were below 50%.  Was this new teacher praised for this achievement?  No, she was accused of cheating.

Question:

What did she do?  What would you do?

Definition:

“Norming” is the period where the guidelines are set for the team.  The “real” work begins.

Scenario:

The new teacher realizes she is a target.  She refuses to give up on teaching her students to the best of the abilities God gave her.  “Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.” (Titus 2:7-8 ESV). 

During the second six weeks, the students know it was not only the new teacher accused of cheating but them as well.  The students are supporting their teacher and strive to do much better on the next benchmark.  The test day comes and the students are ready to raise their scores.  The students are tested and the new teacher seals each class’ test in a large envelope.  She has the co-teacher initial and deliver directly to the department head after each class.  The scores come back with an amazing 92% pass rate.  The new teacher is not praised for the scores but chastised for not following the cookie-cutter curriculum as the other teachers where doing.

Question:

What did she do?  What would you do?

Definition:

“Performing” is when the team is working as a well-oiled machine.  Team members know their goal and how to achieve it.

Scenario:

Get rid of the new teacher is on the minds of the other teachers.  They have isolated and degraded the new teacher.  Yet, her spirits remain high because of her faith and her students.  The new teacher is sent on her merry way to co-teach in Life Skills at semester break.  The Life Skills teacher tells the new teacher toward the end of the school year everyone believed she would quit due to the stress of working with very challenging students.  Since the new teacher adapted to the new environment and not being a quitter did her best with these sometimes-violent students.  The new teacher survived but at what cost?

It would seem developmental stages of teams are not always intended to be the best for all teachers and especially in the best interest of the students.  Each stage brings acceptance to the pecking order of involved individuals.  Sometimes learning how to play the politics is the most difficult process of being a teacher.

On a side note:

Please learn to use the whiteboard and other technology that has been provided in your classroom.  Someone is willing to teach you!

God bless each of us with patience to endure. 

What type of teacher are you?

Mr. Hall believes this chapter is the most important part of this book.   I would say the chapter was an interesting read.  The section, I believe, that stood out to me is the section describing the three dominant teaching delivery practices.  The traditional teaching is where the teacher is solely in charge – totalitarianism.  Certainly, this type of teaching has its place – in history.  I believe since this was the way I was taught might be the reason I just passed my way through the early years of my education.  Looking at my time at UTSA (not giving its full name to protect identity) it seems the courses where creativity and critical thinking were present my grades soared.  On the other hand, the courses where the instructor was traditional I simply slide by to pass. 

The next type is the innovative teaching style.  The teacher is still mainly in charge but is willing to engage in bringing new strategies and methodologies to the students.  This type is essentially a dictatorship.  Students are given little opportunity to explore technology except through research and multimedia presentations for the most part.  It would seem most teacher fall into this style of teaching.

 The last practice is that of brain-based learning – a democracy (at least as close to it as possible as compared to the other styles).  The key is collaboration between teacher / students and students / students.  The students have choice about their education journey.  Technology is central to the curriculum.  It would seem some teachers have hesitation to let the reins drop to let the spirit fly. 

“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6).  Training does not mean control the spirit.  Should not the same apply to learning in our classrooms?

Picciano’s chapter six to most might seem boring and it is.  We must realize technology is a part of the educational journey.  Whether the discussion is how or when to incorporate technology each teacher must explore the possibilities to ensure each students has an opportunity to learn.  Technology in reality makes the teacher’s job easier.  Technology opens up doors to the future – so why would anyone want to withhold the future from the students?