The possibilities for students and educators seem to be endless. There is an overwhelming amount of information and knowledge that is our responsibility to pass onto our students. With that being said I do believe that there needs to be a shift in how curriculum is implemented. There is a remarkable difference from when I was a student to my students that I currently have in class. The skills they possess as well as their style of learning is different. I am constantly looking for new ways to keep them engaged and interested in the curriculum that we must implement. Being a Resource Room teacher, focusing in Literature I do find it challenging to present material in a way that students find interesting.
Sweden and other countries mentioned that have made textbooks to be more concise seem to be in tune with what our current group of learners need. So often when students are presented with an enormous amount of information, they are instantly overwhelmed. This generation of students likes things to be kept simple and streamlined.
As educators we must find ways to keep technology constantly integrated into our classroom, and make it a part of our curriculum. So often the challenge in this is a lack of resources. Hopefully our legislators will soon discover that the current basic needs of a classroom are larger than a pencil and piece of paper, it is technology!
Goals in teaching need to be shifted to encompass learning beyond the classroom, building community within schools and the community in which we live, and to be a part of the global world. We seem to be self-centered in the respect that we neglect to integrate the teachings of other cultures and what they value.
Self-confidence also needs to be brought back into our teaching curriculum so that our students feel empowered to be independent thinkers and feel self-confidence in the classroom and with the material that they present to us. Self-confidence can only lead to creativity.
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Great post! And you were a bit apprehensive in Thing 3. This technology is a great thing. Can we find the time to use it with our students?
ReplyDeleteBecause things change so rapidly, perhaps it's most important that our students are able to learn, unlearn, and re-learn (does that make sense?). Rather than the teacher being responsible for passing on the information and knowledge, the teacher needs to show students how to find the information they are looking for, to decide if the information is valid, how to organize and retrieve that information.
ReplyDeleteThere's a famous story about Henry Ford, in a courtroom if I remember correctly, where he is confronted about his lack of knowledge of common facts, and implied low intelligence. Henry admits he may not have all the answers, but he has a button on his desk, and if he pushes the button, his staff of experts will rush in to assist him and to answer his questions for him. The internet is kind of like that. We can't possibly know all the answers, nor remember them. But by pushing the proverbial button, we can connect to the sum of all human knowledge, and learn from the best and brightest, the real "experts" in the world who are willing to share their knowledge.
The complete account of Henry Ford in the courtroom is retold on this blog: http://www.seanrasmussen.com/mindset/108-an-educated-man/ It's a good story. Can't verify that it's 100% true, but it certainly could be.
ReplyDeleteNow I remember! The Henry Ford story first appeared in Napoleon Hill's book "Think and grow rich." Interesting that the blog author f I referenced earlier did not bother to provide that little detail, considering he plagiarized Hill's book! Literally copied an entire paragraph and changed only a few words! Here's Hill's book: http://www.soilandhealth.org/03sov/0304spiritpsych/030413.Hill.Think.and.Grow.Rich.pdf
ReplyDeleteAs a resource room teacher, do you believe that your students have the ability, resources, family support to keep up with the technological advances we are being exposed to? I worry that the learning disabled or socially isolative student will get left behind. Do you see your students being able to successfully collaborate and work in a team and with a team since this seems to be the shift that is happening in the workplace.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the goals in teaching needed to be shifted but until we can measure a student's progress in other ways besides the MME, MEAP, or Mi-Access I think schools will likley remain in the groove (rut?) they are in.
I totally agree with your comment about our textbooks needing to change. I don't feel I have time to do anything "extra" in my classes because I struggle just getting through all of the content that we are required to cover.
ReplyDeleteI can also relate your comment regarding a lack of resources as a road block for teachers that are trying to incorporate technology into their classrooms. Until we have more access to LCD projectors, SMART boards and other resources it is very difficult to integrate technology into our lessons. Fortunately, it does seem we are moving in the right direction with this, but at a VERY slow pace.
Many of my students may not have the resources at home to keep up with technology, but I do not believe that this should be the reason that I shouldn't expose them to it at school. As a matter of fact, I think that it is even a better reason to give them any technological information that I know if they are not getting it at home.
ReplyDeleteAs far as their ability, this is where many of my students tend to shine, when they are given the opportunity to create something that they can be proud of.