A few weeks ago I was given an opportunity to speak at TCEA in Austin. You would think speaking to other teachers is easy-I speak all day in front of students for a living. But man, talk about vulnerability and reality checks!
I was a nervous wreck as I prepared. But there’s something about putting yourself in a vulnerable position that is so magical: there’s an opportunity to see how far you’ve come. Through all the highs and deep valleys I’ve been through, I’ve come a long way in my 7 years as an educator. This last week of pouring into other educators reminded me that all of the hard work I’m doing in my classroom is movement in the right direction. That digging in and doing things differently—challenging my students to make an impact on their world around them—getting them to not only think analytically in science but creatively—to be problem solvers... all of this is confirmation that what we do in my class is absolutely worth it.
What most teachers want to do in their career is do well for their students; they want to help their students grow in their learning and skill so that they become better people, and have something to offer this world. There's no doubt that education is changing: new initiatives, new learning philosophies, and new technology have infiltrated the classroom.
We need hands-on, purposeful guidance that gives them opportunities to learn alongside of their students.
We need "conditions that foster growth, not finding quick-fix professional development solutions" (TNTP, 2015, p. 3).
I have been given the opportunity to help design a professional learning day in January for the science. I thought that my current course for graduate school would be a great time to apply what I am learning about effective professional learning. I hope that the day in January can be a starting point for ongoing support and time for teachers to implement new strategies into the spring semester, in an effort to model what effective professional learning can look like.
The dreaded words..."professional development." Yeah, I said them. You would think that many teachers would love the day away from the classroom, but many teachers fear those words and often don't want to partake in a day of being "developed." As a teacher with less than ten years under my belt, I am grateful for the learning I have received. Not all "PD" I've been involved in is bad...trust me, some of them have been BAD (the kind that makes you want to crawl in a hole because you've sat in the seat all day long and have done NOTHING). When I think of professional development, I think of the type of learning that has stuck with me: hands-on training with science experiments and technology, my Apple Institute training, and technology conferences. These were amazing opportunities where I wasn't "developed," but I actively learned through collaboration and discovery. It was learning that was authentic and meaningful to me.
What really needs to happen after a technology initiative has been established? How does an initiative go from being an "initiative" to something more? Several case studies highlight the successes and the pitfalls of growing Information & Computer Technology (ICT) plans from around the world. Governments and educational organizations globally are beginning to implement technology as a way to provide equal opportunity for all learners. This is causing positive and negative changes in policy, community opinions, and teacher support. While there are great strides being made through the use of ICT, there are still improvements that can be made globally. These improvements and problems are opportunities, not setbacks, for the evolution of education as a whole. Below is a response to these global studies: the successes, the areas of concern, and what we can learn from them in response to a two year 1:1 iPad implementation.
To end, I think this video from Tom Daccord, Director of EdTechTeacher, brings great perspective.
It's been a few weeks since the Apple Distinguished Educator (ADE) Institute. And I'm not sure that I've fully processed my experience.
When I arrived, even when I received the email of congratulations, it felt pretty unbelievable to be having this type of experience. I have felt a little Wayne's World "not worthy" for much of my teaching career. Most four-year experienced teachers are not typically in my position. Arriving to Miami for Institute felt so surreal.
