@bethstill tweeted today, "How'd you react if you were told this by admin? It isn't good for students to have 1 standout teacher while the rest are so far behind." About an hour later I was taking a walk in the woods with my family and I saw the perfect response. There in the middle of the brown trees sprouting with tiny green leaves was a beautiful purple tree. Thus, the standout tree. I laughed thinking, "God allows for many different things to standout on their own why not let teachers?" As always the state of how to teach is going through a reform, but this one is different. This reform is taking teachers into utilizing technology in its many different forms, tools, applications, etc. And as with everything in life some teachers are easy about using technology, jumping on board, ready to try even if they fail, and others are nervous and want the security of mastering it all before even attempting to try, thus falling behind. I am proud to say that I am an easy going, try, try and fail, try again type person. I support teachers on this journey, giving them the tools, ideas, and assistance in transforming lessons into technology rich activities that engage students and teach them skills like creativity and collaboration that they will need in life besides knowing that every sentence begins with a capital letter, or 5 x 3 = 15. Schools need these standout teachers to foster growth and the want to change in their colleagues teaching styles. If we don't have these standout teachers we would still be in lecture style teaching, sitting in straight quiet rows, setting our students up to be failures as adults because they are missing the skills that they did not gain because that standout teacher's wings were clipped so he/she would not fly ahead of others trying things out. So my response to that administrator would be, " You don't want me to try and be the best teacher that I can be? You don't want me to grow professionally and learn new things every day to try to use with my students? I am a teacher because I want to teach, I want to help my students grow to be the most that they can be in life. I want to try and reach them in every way possible. I am not in this profession to worry about what my colleagues can and can not do, or are and are not doing. I am in it for the students. Aren't you?"
What a thought provoking first post! I am passionate about blogging but started three years ago and had no idea what blogging was really about. Since then I have been on an amazing journey, with the support of my leadership team and parents, using technology. It taken me and my classes into the 21st century and beyond into the globe. I love learning with my students and if that means taking a lot of risks and going outside my comfort zone, then I will!
ReplyDeleteLook forward to reading further posts from you!
I know a principal who told two of her teachers studying for their Ed.S. degrees: "The time for your education is over, now go do your job and educate the children."
ReplyDeleteCan you believe that? There is a definite fear among teachers who have the ability but don't know how to "step out on faith" and begin the process. These teachers need support and guidance, and this is why tools like Twitter and this blog are so important. I'm inspired to start a blog of my own! Great first post.